


Superiority Complex

by GrownishZuca



Category: Grownish
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2019-08-15
Packaged: 2020-09-01 13:13:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 33,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20258656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GrownishZuca/pseuds/GrownishZuca
Summary: Zoey Johnson has her future all mapped out, she will achieve a successful career in fashion, marry a wealthy and gorgeous man with 2 or 3 babies and they’ll live happily ever after.Luca Hall does not factor into that plan, he is simply a transitional bad habit, a distraction, an itch, one she’ll scratch until she finally settles with Mr. Right. That’s the plan....





	1. Chapter 1

“Ahhh... oh my ... Don’t stop!” Zoey moans loudly grabbing and biting at Luca in a dark janitorial section of the building, hiding away from their group of friends.

They snuck away about 20mins ago doing what Zoey promised herself their last encounter ~last night~ would be the last time she did it with him ever again.

“Shhhh! Quiet! Do you want to get caught?!”

“Don’t shush me!” Getting irritated with him in the middle of their erotic tango. She would slap him hard if she wasn’t so turned on and in a trance right now.

She still can’t figure out how someone can repulse and turn you on quite at the same time, but Luca’s continues to prove it’s possible.

They fight like cat and mouse, she can barely tolerate him around, in fact, he is the last person she wants around or should be seen with but here she is, shamefully getting naked with him every chance she gets. She can’t even tell her friends.

“You repulse me..” She whimpers helplessly feeling herself getting close to her orgasm.

“Come for daddy, you know you want to” he whispers into her ears, nearing a climax of his own.

“Oh, oh my Gaah!... I’m.. I’m ...Aahhh” she reaches the end of her climax relaxing and resting weakly in his arms.

*****  
Five full minutes go by and she’s still in his arms with her face nuzzled on his neck, her breathing starts to even out.. well that’s a record he thinks.

“Ugh! Let me down!”

He sighs exasperated, of course, that’s more like it, that’s the Zoey he’s use to. She sexes him crazy in private, ignores him when they’re amongst friends.

She might actually dislike him more than anyone else she’s ever met, he thinks. They have been in the same friend group and fashion classes for the past two years and she still barely tolerated him.

Luca’s made peace with the fact that he’ll be nothing but her dirty little secret and he’s actually okay with it. Zoey is a pompous dramatic brat who thinks she’s better than everyone, he’s better off anyway.

Being with her this way he can’t front, is the biggest thrill, no one gets his blood pumping like she does, when they first met, she use to make him want to smash things into a wall, but now, he just wants to smash her period.

He lets her down and starts zipping up his pants, as she circles around looking for her shorts. “Where is it?! Ugh!... My shorts, where is it! I gotta get out of here,” she says looking at him agitated.

“It’s right there on the drums chief.” He gestures towards the corner of the room. “If you’d relax, maybe you’ll see it.” He shrugs nonchalantly.

Zoey rolls her eyes, and stomps towards the drums, grabbing her shorts, she begins putting them on, “look, I know what just happened makes what I said last night invalid, but trust me when I say, that is the absolute last time we do that ever again!”

He chuckles, shaking his head at her antics. He leans against the closet wall admiring the view of her shapely legs while licking his lips.

She looks over at him predictably knowing he was doing exactly that, she stomps towards him, “EVER AGAIN! do you understand?”

They stand toe to toe breathing each other in, almost nose to nose. “You can’t get me out of your system and it’s driving you wild chief..” he says giving her a knowing and suggestive lick of his lips. He continues, “we can stop whenever you’d like,”

Zoey’s besides herself because all she can think about is his lips now, “damn it!...hmph..” was the only sound that came out of her as her lips descended hard on his.

Their lips wrestle as they roughly Kiss each other, he spins her around with her back pressed flush against the wall, he pulls her deeper against him, groping and grinding.

Suddenly, with a loud smacking noise, their lips pull apart, she pushes him back. “Ugh! get off me!”

At this point he can’t help chuckling harder in amusement at her continuous antics “um you kissed me chief, that was all you and you are free to go anytime.” He steps aside to make room for her to leave.

“Are you making fun of me? Is this a joke to you?”

“You’re the one who can’t keep your paws off me” he says jokingly with an innocent pout on his face, knowing teasing her about her lack of control when she’s alone with him usually gets to her, he continues “...and somehow after having your way with me, I’m public enemy number one?”

“I don’t know what you find so funny about any of this, but I am so done with you.” She straightens up, trying to look as determined as she wants to be.

“If you’re done with me then I’m done with you” he continues on with his teasing, looking at her like his next meal and he’s famished.

“Seriously?” trying to control herself, she pushes past him towards the door, “I meant what I said, NO more!”

“Deadass?” He calls after her, trying to genuinely gauge if she actually means it this time....

“Deadass!” She shouts back at him belligerently, and with that, she walks out leaving him behind in the closet.

*****  
“So, where were you all night?! I looked around for you but you were nowhere to be found.”

“I don’t know what you mean Nomi, I was there all night right along with everyone else.”

“Come to think of it, Luca was nowhere to be found either.”

At the mention of his name, Zoey freezes up, feeling uneasy, fearing Nomi might add two plus two together, she hasn’t exactly been careful with Luca lately.

Dammit! She mentally curses herself “what do you mean?” She decides to plays coy...

“You know, I don’t know..” Nomi chuckles at herself feeling silly, “I was getting ahead of myself but it couldn’t possibly be, you hate that dude.”

“I don’t want to imagine what you were cooking up in that messy mind of yours but please don’t mention my name in conjunction with that of that imbecile ever again. Thank you.”

“Fine, I’m sorry, but are you going to tell me where you were? I seriously looked every where for you.”

“I told you, I was around, after a while I remembered I needed to catch up on some reading so I came home.” Lying right through her teeth.

“Besides; I’m not missing, we’re right here safely at home together.” She grabs Nomi’s hands, “why don’t we worry about something that actually deserves to be worried about?”

She gives Nomi’s hand a gentle squeeze and a reassuring smile, hoping she buys her Bullshit. “Like how badly you need a shower, how much weed did you smoke? you reek!”

Sniffing herself, “You know what? You’re right. I was probably messed up on that special stash of blueberry weed Luca bought yesterday.” Nomi laughs at the memory of the night

“Yeah, good for you and dude but if you don’t mind, I have some chemistry assignment to get back to.”

“Okay okay, goodnight Zoe.”

Breathing in a sigh of relief, happy that Nomi bought that one, Zoey walks into her room. She hates lying to her friends, but the alternative is so much worse.


	2. Chapter 2

It has been a week since Luca last heard from Zoey and considering that’s the longest they’ve gone out of touch ~both literally and figuratively~ since they started messing around, he is sure she is definitely done with him.

Usually around this time of night, she would have sent him a “hey dude, you left one of your 50 unnecessary rings in my car” text. That was usually code for I’m horny, are you alone? 

He in return would respond, “my rings are sacred, return my shit to me right now!” If he is alone, which was always, lately.

He felt a sudden squeeze and thug to his heart at the thought of being done with Zoey for good, he’s not stupid enough to believe the queen of boujee would actually take anything with him seriously, everyone knows she would marry Cash this instant if he told her he was ready.

If he’s honest with himself, he’ll admit that a big part of him wants more with her and he has for a while now. 

He won’t let himself go there though because he knows there is nothing more hopeless than hoping for a relationship with Zoey Johnson. She’s meant to be with the Cash Mooney’s of the world. 

She’s ready to be the guy’s wife and to bare his babies just as soon as she’s done with her fashion degree. She certainly lets Luca know that as often as she possibly can. 

Truth be told, he should have dropped her like the bad habit he is to her but he couldn’t seem to get her out of his system. So, he settled for the physical part of herself she was willing to give him. 

How did he get himself into this messy situation with Zoey in the first place? Well, it all started last summer...

*****  
*summer break post freshman yr.*****

“Listen idiot, the patterns on this fabric clashes with the theme of the project.”

“I know that but that’s what makes it so fire,” Luca says matter of factly to Zoey, “daring to be different works for me, swim out of your element every once in a while.” 

“Thank you for your unsolicited advise but I happen to like my element, it work for me.” She says, getting impatient. 

“..and Just because I have the misfortune of having this one thing in common with you, it does not make us kindred spirits or friends, so keep your advise to yourself.” 

“Copyyyy” Luca says mockingly 

“I know everyone else is gone for the summer so we’re kinda stuck with each other but I didn’t agree to take this course because you’re fun to be around,”

“You’re not exactly a party to be around either but I’ve made peace with it.” He gives her a crooked smile, Lights up a smoke and walks towards the fabric stand.

“Says the King of making bad and irresponsible decisions.” She rolls her eyes dramatically before adding, “your choices are always so pretentious.”

“Hate to break it to you princess but fashion is pretentious.” He shrugs, and draws a long puff of smoke out of his mouth. 

“Must you do that?!” He is so irritating! “I’m trying to keep all my brain cells functioning while I work thank you very much.” 

“Why don’t you just relax and stop pretending weed is beneath you. I saw you taking a swig with Vivek last week.”

“I do not smoke weed!”

“That’s right, you only go for the hard knock pills.” He squints, “so much better.”

With that, she moves closer to him exasperated. “Listen, I know I have no choice but to work with you and that means I have to be around you, but let’s be clear about something, I don’t like you.”

“So you’ve said for a year now,” he says almost bored, “don’t stress boss, it’s clear. Just please tell me something new.” Not at all phased by her attempt at intimidation anymore.

Zoey can’t explain why he gets to her so much but his smug response to her every time she points out how annoying he is drives her completely wild.

“You don’t listen to anyone! You think your ideas are the only ones that matter and I’m here to tell you they are not...” she’s rambling.. he does that to her and that is another reason she can’t stand him! 

“...you fake pretentious piece of trash who thinks he’s the second coming of ....” Zoey continues on while Luca just stands there smoking and looking at her in full amusement.

Zoey is so upset, she’s upset Luca gets her so upset, the fact that it’s him is making her even more upset. 

She is used to being the best at everything she does, she is as stunning as she is confident, especially at fashion, but somehow Luca Jae Hall is capable of making her doubt herself and she resents him so much for that.

Sensing her unease, he smiles and moves to the other side of the table. Eyeing her seductively the entire time.

Here she is upset at him and he dares stares at her like that?! She knows why he does it too, he is attractive and he knows it, but she is here to break it to him that he doesn’t have any effect on her.

His looks might get him all the other basic females he’s usually surrounded by but it’ll never work on her! She swears it. “in your dreams sleazo!” She huffs before moving to the other end of the same table, “You’re disgusting!”

Zoey is not blind, she knows Luca is attractive, in fact he might be the most beautiful boy she’s ever seen! But Casuis Mooney is the man she is sworn to marry, and he is everything. 

Sure they’re currently taking a mini break ~his idea~ for him to fully focus while out of state as he completes his training as a new recruit of a professional basketball team, but no matter what, they are meant to be.

Her baby had a successful freshman year after all, and their love is like the wind, they can feel it everywhere no matter how far apart they are. Or so she tells herself daily whenever doubt visits.

She’ll wait as long as it takes, and once they are both done with the demanding aspects of their careers they will be man and wife. The future is in motion. 

“You good?” Luca moves to her end of the table, snaps his fingers to get her out of her trance,

Sure Luca has that attractive rebel without a cause thing going on but Cash is everything she deserves. A prim and proper man, who is handsome with a set future enriched with extravagance and financial security.

She snaps out of her trance, “Get your filthy hands out of my face.”

She has no time to waste on guys like Luca, guys who live day to day nonchalantly without a care in the world for what tomorrow holds. A pot head at that, Nope! He is far beneath her standards. 

“Well excuse me, I got worried my spliff hit you hard or something,” he chuckles lightly. Is he seriously laughing at me right now? She thought... “Pig!”

“you zoned out and I got worried chief” he feigns innocence, “you know, people usually appreciate when someone worries about them.”

“I don’t need your fake concern, I’m good.”

“What were you thinking about anyway?” He raises one highbrow suggestively. “Were you thinking about me?” Now fully wiggling them teasingly.

“You wish.” She sighs..”if you must know, I was thinking about the love of my life, Cassius Mooney.” Neglecting to mention how many times how attractive Luca is crosses her mind daily, on a loop even. 

“Lucky guy that Cash, all over the news with a new chick every other day and here you are as loyal as ever,” he shakes his head dramatically, “wow, some guys get all the luck.” 

“I know what you’re doing and it is not going to work.” 

“What do you mean?”

“That little dig about the girls? look, not that it’s any of your business but Cash and I can pretty much see anyone we like right now so he’s not doing anything wrong... technically.” 

Zoey carries on trying to convince herself more than Luca at this point, “as long as he doesn’t get serious with anyone we’re good.” She says unconvincingly.

Luca moves closer to her face, ...slowly, softly, he says, “like I said, some guys get all the luck.”

“What does that mean?...” her voice coming out way softer and unsure than she intended.

Their heartbeats equally fastens as they slowly breathe each other in. Nose to nose, chest to chest, a sudden need intoxicated them and they both couldn’t deny a thirst they so badly need quenched.

He moves in closer as if that were possible, “you can do whatever you like with whomever you like?” 

she responds by looking down at his lips, she doesn’t move away nor slap him so he takes that as permission. 

He kisses her. HARD. She reciprocates, HARDER.


	3. Chapter 3

Present Day*****

As usual the music at Titan is booming, with bodies roaming about everywhere. Zoey, along with the rest of the crew took their seats at their usual table enjoying a night out for drinks. Luca is visibly missing but Zoey is okay with that. 

That whole out of sight, out of mind thing has been working really well for her these last few weeks. She hasn’t seen or spoken to him and it seems to be exactly what she needs. With no classes together this semester and being anti social lately, it’s been possible to avoid him.

“Hey, I’m heading to the bar, you want a refill on your drink?” Anna casually asks as she gets up from the table.

“No, I’m still good with this one. Cutting down, you know....”

“Girl, you cutting down on alcohol? What’s up witchu? You pregnant or sum?” Skye says as she laughs teasingly at her

“Okay, first of all, I don’t think she’d be drinking at all if her ass was knocked up, second, the girl stays waiting on Cash who hasn’t even been by to see her ass, how she gon get pregnant?” Jazz carries on as if Zoey isn’t sitting right there..

Nomi looks on mortified, half drunk, half high as a kite.

“Bitch shut up, the girl knows I was just playing with her” Skye rolls her eyes at her twin sister.

“Okayyy, all I wanted to know was if she wanted a drink, I’ll be back guys.” Anna heads over to the bar.

Zoey downs the rest of her drink and zones her friends out, thinking about her situation with Luca. Can she even call it that? Things were getting too complicated and she needed to stop it before it got further complicated. 

They had been messing around close to a year now and not only was it getting harder to keep it hidden from their friends, she was finding herself getting too used to Cash not being around. That spells nothing but trouble. 

She realized she barely missed him lately when she spent a whole day planning which part of town she and Luca would sneak off to one night instead of returning one of Cash’s numerous text messages. 

Sure it was about basketball, stuff she doesn’t care or know much about, but she use to be better at pretending to listen. She actually wanted to usually.

If she doesn’t stop messing around with that Lenny Kravitz wanna be she’s afraid she’s toying with her picture perfect future. Worst of all, she’s the one breaking their one golden rule. 

She remembers it like it was yesterday, the day she and Cash parted ways.

*****  
He said they needed a “mutual break” and after a long night spent talking, with him managing to convince her of all the reasons being apart for a while is a good idea, she gives in.

She decided the only way their “break” would work is if they didn’t sleep with one person monogamously aside from each other. “It eliminates the chances of attachments and or mistakes.” She said...

“I don’t think we should be sleeping with other people period! But if we must, do it with a random and move it along.” 

She looked at Cash seriously, with intertwined fingers, she made a personal choice, “I can’t see me with anyone else, ever, I’ll stay celibate as long as it takes but I understand that you’re a dude and you have your needs so..”

“Zoey I’m not asking you to wait around for me, or ..”

“No I know, but I love you and sex is too important to me to just have it with anyone. I love you and I know we’re going to spend the rest of our lives together so waiting just makes the journey to the endgame worth it.” 

They sealed their long night of talking with “love making” and sweet kisses.

*****  
“Zoey...Zoey?!.. Zoey!!!” It took Nomi giving her a hard shake over the loud music to snap her out of her trance.

“Wha..what?!!!” Annoyed by the interruption.

“What do you mean what!?” Anna exclaims. “Geez you’ve been sitting at this table with us like a zombie. Are you okay?”

Zoey sighs heavily.. “I’m sorry guys, I just have a lot on my mind lately.”

Jazz moves close to Skye play whispering “girl maybe you’re right and she is knocked the fuck up.” 

“I told you.” Skye whispers back giving her sister one of their knowing looks.

“Guys I am not pregnant! Don’t even put that out into the universe like that.” Zoey whined mortified by the thought of who the father would be if she were. “I just have a pest-like situation I need to be rid of is all.” 

“Pest-like?.... whaa?..” 

Before the girls could muster up more responses, she looks up at the commotion happening by the door, a few rowdy art students were making their way in... just her luck, Luca was part of the incoming crowd.

~Speaking of pests~ Zoey sighs, watching him make his way in. ~Why does he have to look soooo good~! 

Luca walks into the Bar, but he wasn’t alone, he seemed preoccupied with the blonde chick walking in side by side with him. 

“Hey bud! Where you been man?” Vivek calls over the loud music at Luca, calling his attention to their table.

Luca whispers something into the blonde girl’s ear and directs her to the other end of the bar, she walks towards the other direction. 

He made his way over to the table giving Vivek one of their bro handshakes before taking the empty seat next to Vivek, opposite Zoey. “Sup dudes!” Luca says genuinely happy to see his friends.

“What’s up is you gotta get me more of those blueberry spliffs, I’m running out and I need my high.” Nomi says through her current haze.

“I’ll get you in contact with my guy...”

Zoey not being able to control herself partly due to seething jealousy, partly to annoyance, rolls her eyes. “Of course you will.”

Talking to Vivek but making direct eye contact with Luca instead she goes on, “Vivek I wish you wouldn’t have done that, see our table is full, there’s no room for stoners or irresponsible addicts here.” making it clear who her snarky aggression is targeted at, the rest of the crew look on with interest. 

“It’s nice to see you too chief.” Luca gives her a coy smile in-spite of the rude one she’s currently directing at him. 

“Zoey calm down,” Anna interrupts as the girls all giggle, “Luca she’s just irritable and I guess you’re the easy target.” 

“Isn’t he always?” Jazz says suspiciously...

“Yeah, something about a pest..” Nomi adds..

“A pest? you guys have rodent problems?” Vivek adds, confused as ever.

“Guys, I gotta go. I gotta go..um..do a thing.” Zoey gets up from their table at the speed of light, their friends are asking too many questions “I’ll be right back.” She calls back as she hurries off.

“I don’t care what ya’ll say but something’s up with that girl.” Skye quietly observes before a very attractive young athlete she’s been eyeing on the dance floor took her focus.

She gets up to leave, “If ya’ll will excuse me, I have a target I’m aiming at and I feel lucky.” 

*****  


Luca made sure the rest of the crew were fully distracted before getting up and tracing after Zoey. If he’s right, she’s in the janitorial closet, it’s their usual spot at Titan.... He was right.

A pacing Zoey turns around, “Ugh! What do you want!?” He was met with her agitated voice and countless eye rolling as soon as he opened the door entering into the closet. Almost as if she expected it to be him.

“If you didn’t want to be found, another hiding spot would have been to your benefit.” Her never ending temper tantrum making him smile fondly. 

Maybe he’s a masochist ~a small voice in his head notes~ he wants her now more than ever. It’s a curse, he believes that strongly.

“I’d expect you to be attending to your friend.” She snaps, “won’t she be lonely without you?” She says with a snide. 

“Oh...” he’s fully entertained now, “So that’s what this is about? I knew I pissed you off faster than usual even for me..”

“Oh shut up! your poor taste in women is your bad.” 

“Poor taste in women? .. since I’ve been sleeping with you, what does that..” 

“Don’t get smart with me, you were never very good at it.”

“You’re right, you’re always right.”

“asshole!”

“I’m confused, why are you so upset?... you’ve made it clear you want nothing to do with me anymore, shit, we haven’t spoken in weeks...” 

Things seemed to escalate from there...

“And I meant it!” She stubbornly interrupts him, “I have a future to think about, maybe you can go around living frivolously but I can’t.”

Luca upon hearing another one of her never ending uptight speech on the future becomes uncharacteristically exasperated with her, “Zoey we are 19! We have nothing but time, we’re in college, what we are doing right now is exactly what we should be doing, having fun and living for today.” 

“Exactly what I’d expect you to say..”

Gah! She’s frustrating! “Why is there no room for breathing around you on this? You’re so busy planning a future, you’re missing all the beautiful moments in the now that leads up to it.” Why can’t she just relax and let things be? 

“This is exactly why we can never be a thing, we are too fundamentally different.” Zoey says in a rare moment of vulnerability, he calms, he’s not use to this side of her.

“You think about us being a thing?” A tinge of happiness in his voice.

Missing his question completely, she continues, “..besides, I can’t take someone seriously that thinks getting laid, getting high and going through life not caring about anything is the beautiful makings of a bright future.”

“...never mind.” He sighs. “I don’t know why I bothered coming in here.”

“Did I ask you to come in here?.. no..exactly. So why don’t you roam back to your little friend and leave me the fuck alone.”

He softens up, regretting getting loud with her, “Fine, I’ll leave... but let me just say, I didn’t come in here to pick a fight, I was worried about you.” 

“Thank you for your concern, but I’m fine.” Hand gesturing for him to go away, while refusing to soften up her attitude. 

He stands by the door, unmoving, staring at her with that intense, jaw clenching look thing he does. “Why are you just standing there staring weirdo?”

“I don’t know, maybe I see something I like.” He shrugs lightly, fully undressing her with his eyes ~turning the mood in the room into a highly flirtatious one~ and so it begins.... 

He struts smoothly toward her, getting close, he stops in front of her, almost nose to nose.

Truth be told, she needs him to leave, solely based on how certain she is in the realization that she doesn’t want him to leave her alone at all. That realization hit her hard. 

She needs him out of her system but with him standing so close, her entire body tingles with excitement, it’s a fact, this is the biggest inconvenience on her future plans. 

Their breathing quickens as they both feel the familiar tinge of charged electricity between them. His nose is resting directly on hers now, “I don’t know why I ever got involved with you in the first place.” slips out of her in a breathy whisper.

Looking up into his eyes, nose to nose, the air between them so thick ~she’s painfully coming to the scariest realization~ she can’t be alone in a space with Luca. 

“You know why..” his voice just as soft and breathy as hers. “So, you’re jealous huh?” 

“I am not!..” feigning offended. “Don’t flatter yourself.” 

“It’s cute.” He smiles looking down her lips seductively.

That put a soft and bashful smile on her face. “Yeah?” She’s blushing..

Luca’s lips were pressed against her ear. “It’s Fire.” 

She doesn’t say a word, just moves his face back up to hers, looks up into his eyes, stands on her tiptoe, leans forward, and kisses him.

Through the haze of their kissing, multiple describable and indescribable feelings rush through him, he moans and groans out through the intensity of it all, “I want you in the worst way... these last couple of weeks have been shit.”

She hoods her eyes seductively at him, then proceeded to smirk knowingly as her hand moves all the way down south.

With that, his lips descends back down on hers, captures it intensely with hands all over each other’s body, they continue kissing, hands roaming everywhere...

They were so lost in each other they didn’t hear the closet door cracking open... 

... “I’m serious, I don’t see them anywhere... WHAT THE FUCK?!!!”


	4. Chapter 4

... “I’m serious, I don’t see them anywhere... WHAT THE FUCK?!!!”

Luca and Zoey pull apart immediately. Quickly rearranging their disheveled clothes and messy hair.

Anna stands by the door, speechless and frozen, unable to formulate any words, staring at the picture in front of her, completely dumbfounded. 

Zoey’s breathing becomes uneven and loud. Trying to choose her words carefully because as far as Zoey’s concerned, the worst has happened.

No one was suppose to find out about her sordid affair with Luca! This was suppose to eventually ware out of her system by the time she and Cash are finally ready for their happily ever after.

Anyone finding out ruins all that. She carefully moves towards Anna hoping she can magically make her forget everything she just saw. 

“Anna... listen... um...” looking back to Luca who is standing there completely unfazed. “Can I get a little help here?!”

“With?” He asks confused.

“Unbelievable!” She exclaims, exasperated. “A million and one regular asshats in the world and I had to get in a tangled mess with your special brand.” Shaking her head while trying to control her breathing.

“So Anna knows, what’s the big deal?” 

“What’s the big deal? WHAT’s THE BIG DEAL?!!” She turns back around facing him fully, momentarily forgetting about frozen Anna.

“I knew you would be my downfall.” She says with a mixture of seriousness and absurdity. “You are the most useless ...”

Cough, Cough!! “Sorry to interrupt your lovers spat but HELLo?!! I was still on What the fuck?!” 

Back to Anna it is, “oh I’m sorry Anna, I know what you saw might have possibly, maybe, probably, unbelievably ...”

“To the point Zoey!”

“Okay, what you saw was nothing. Absolutely zero nothing.” 

“Your hands down Luca’s pants was nothing?” Anna looks at both of them still in disbelieve. “What am I to you? dumb or stupid?”

“Technically that means the same thing so ...” Luca interrupts casually

“Stay out of this idiot! If you can’t help it’ll do you some good to shut the fuck up.”

“Say less.” He recoils to the back of the room to take a seat quietly. 

*****  
Anna still in disbelief turns her complete attention back to Zoey, with a heavy sigh she begins her inquiries. 

“I’m trying to understand how? Why? and when all of this happened. Better yet, started happening? Because Zoey, like a moment ago you were with Cash!!” 

“I know and that hasn’t changed.” Looking at Anna pleadingly. 

“It hasn’t? Because I doubt Cash will have the same opinion as you once he finds out about this.”

“Woah! Woah! Woah!” Zoey rushes towards her holding both her hands. “Cash can never find out about this. Anna you know how much I love him.”

“I don’t understand, if you love him as much as you say you do, why are you in some filthy closet with...” Pointing at Luca as if he were an invalid, “HIM!”

“Thanks Anna, I’ll try not to hold that against you when I’m picking out your birthday gift next week.” He says still managing to keep his world famous calm demeanor. 

“Shut up Luca!” Both girls say in unison.

“My bad, carry on with your Luca slander bosses.” Giving off his best non offended attitude, trying to make light of the situation.

“Seriously Zoey? You’re throwing away your future for this?” Anna being her most conservative friend is way too apparent at the moment.

“I’m not throwing away anything and look Anna I know you love and care about me and that’s why you’re judgy Anna right now but I need you to stay just a bit objective and less judgy about this.”

“Believe it or not Zoey, I’m not judging you, I’m just trying to understand what I just walked into.”

“Okay...”

“You’ve spent a good part of two school years preaching to all your closest friends about how in love you are with Cash, how it was your choice to continue to wait, how bright your future is with him.” 

“..How repulsive you find Luca,” Sighs! “Goodness Zoey, forgive me for being shook right now finding out it’s all been a big fat lie!”

“Sounds awful lot like judging to me...” Luca says adding a purposefully annoying commentary once he realized how quiet Zoey’s gotten.

“I get that Anna, I do and I don’t blame you for the confusion, but this is still my life and it’s not at all black and white.” Zoey says between shaky breaths. 

Anna seeing Zoey broken down, relaxes a bit.

“You’re right, I’m sorry Zoe.”

“I just need you to do me a huge favor right now,”

“Anything.”

“Firstly, ignore that idiot and his totally unnecessary commentaries,” looking back at Luca with a stern and annoyed look at his disregard for the weight of the situation. “two, you have to promise me this dies with the three of us,”

“Easy, but I still need an explanation.” 

“You’ll get it, I just need a few minutes here to clear some things up and I’ll join you outside, where we can really talk.”

“Okay, I’ll be waiting.” Anna turns to leave.

“Goodbye to you too Anna.” 

“Bye Luca!” Anna walks out, leaving them alone once again.

*****  
*five minutes later*

“Wowwww! I don’t know about you but that was a lot.” Luca jokingly says breaking the silence that’s been plaguing the room since Anna left it five minutes ago. 

She annoyingly rolls her eyes. “Shut up Luca.”

“Okay you have to stop telling me to shut up for sport, I barely say enough in the first place according to you people.” Luca says, still joking and making light of the situation.

“You get told to shut up because you deserve it asshole.”

“I also get called asshole when I say nothing, what ta do...tsk tsk..”

“You can talk Luca but why does everything you say have to be laced in dumbass?” 

“Laced in dumbass? Wowwww” He had to laugh at that, which in turn got a long and rich chuckle out of her.

“There we go, that laugh, ... see? it was all I wanted. You were getting a bit too serious on me there Chief.”

She sighs heavily as she moves over to sit next to him on the table. She suddenly got serious again, “we have to stop this.” She says somberly. 

Her tone was defeated, Luca was not used to that tone from Zoey. Angry? sure, annoyed? expected, irritated? definitely, but all of that were all part of their game, a full sign of her interest in continuing on with their arrangement.

Defeated however, made everything way too real. He lost his joking spirit instantly and got just as serious. “If that’s what you want.” Looking at her vulnerably. 

Zoey is left breathless at the way he is currently staring at her. He looks so sad, defeated. Zoey’s not used to this Luca, annoying? sure, sarcastic? Definitely, making light of everything without a care in the world? Expected, but never defeated and sad. 

“I guess now is as good as any,” he reaches out his hand to her face, softly caressing it. “There’s no point in denying my truth anymore,” he sighs heavily, “I don’t want to let you go, I want all of you, and I want to give you everything your heart desires, truly.”

“Luca...” that came out breathlessly, she can’t seem to figure out how to breathe with him looking at her like that and saying things like this. 

“I know, Cash is the one, say no more,” he cuts her off and gets up from the table to stand directly in front of her, “I mean it, I want to give you the world and more and if what you want is to stop this and secure your future the way you planned it, then I won’t be selfish with you anymore.”

“How can you be so sure? We’ve tried to stop so many times Luca and what if we can’t? What if this all just keeps going until it blows up everything I’ve worked for and want...” She was talking so fast and panicking 

“Shh, shhhhh..” He quiets her down calmly, while still caressing her face so sweetly. “Just breathe” She nods and starts taking even breaths.

“I know we’ve gone back on that every time but I have to admit I’ve never actually tried to help you abstain.”

“No shit.”

He chuckles. “But if I cared half as much as I claim to about you, I’ll be more proactive this time.”

“You will?” She gives him a skeptical look, “why are you being so nice?”

“I’m offended.” Giving her a playful hurt look with his hand over his heart. “I’m always nice.” Giving her one of those rare smiles he’s reserved only for her. A sure way to make her knees unsteady, it’s a good thing she’s currently sitting down.

“You have your moments.” Giving him a soft smile in return.

“I’ll stay away if I have to, I want you to get everything you want, I’ll let go.” heavy sigh, “I want you happy.” With that, he leans forward giving her a goodbye forehead kiss that lasted way longer than necessary.

With misty eyes, he walks out of the room with her trailing slowly behind. She suddenly feels a tight ache and squeeze in her heart. She did not like the feeling of Luca letting her go, not one bit.


	5. Chapter 5

Zoey steps out after Luca into the cool night, watching him walk away with a surprisingly heavy heart. She feels her eyes midst up and that surprises her too. 

Shaking her head she looks around for Anna and spots her sitting on one of the many outdoor chairs, patiently waiting for her. Zoey immediately starts dreading their upcoming conversation. 

“Hey.” Zoey slowly moves towards Anna, all the while still looking towards the direction of Luca’s silhouette walking away into the night.

“Hi.” Anna’s looking towards the same direction.

Once Luca’s disappears into the night, Anna stands up, joining Zoey by the railing overlooking the city lights. “You don’t look so good.”

“That’s because I don’t feel so good.” She responds quietly.

“Do I want to know what happened after I left?” Ana teases carefully her with raised eyebrows, “scratch that, I do want to know. So, start spilling.”

“I don’t know where to begin.” Zoey says looking into the distance with all the uncertainty in the world.

“The beginning usually works.” Ana nudges her softly.

“That’s a lot to try to remember.”

“Dang, It’s been happening that long?”

“Too long!” Zoey moves toward an empty chair. “We should sit for this.” Anna obliges as she starts from the very beginning.

******  
“Wow”, that was all Anna could muster after a full hour of Zoey filling her in on how she got entangled with Luca.

“Wow?”

“I mean what else is there to say to that?” 

“I understand, sometimes I can hardly believe it myself.” Zoey looks up in realization, she gasps! 

“shit, I think I’ve been having sex with Luca longer than I’ve been in an exclusive relationship with Cash!” 

“What?” 

“Yeah... I know, wtf right?” Looking to Anna with equal amount of disbelief.

“I want to make it clear that I’m not judging you, I just don’t understand this type of situations and emotions. You want me to believe you’ve been doing all of that with Luca for that long and you feel nothing for him?” 

Anna looks at Zoey with genuine confusion. “and you’re still sure Cash is the one?” 

Zoey gives her a look of uncertainty before looking off into the distance once again. “I guess so.”

“You guess so?”

“Yeah, sure, I mean I don’t know.” She sighs before pulling herself together again, “all I know is, Cash is my future, that’s what’s been certain to me and there can be no room for anything else.”

“Right.” Now it’s Anna’s turn to give her a skeptical look.

“Right.” Zoey says quietly seemingly just as unsure as Anna.

“What happened in that closet after I left? because you sounded way more sure of yourself before I left it.”

“Nothing happened.” Zoey looks down somberly.

“Zoe if we’re going to do this forreal, you have to be fully honest with me... and to yourself.”

“I just told you, nothing happened.” Zoey gets up from her chair and starts pacing back and forth. 

“I mean if you consider me putting an end to things between us something then yeah, that happened.”

“Aww really?” Anna suddenly looks sad. “I was wondering why he looked so sad.”

“He did didn’t he?” 

“Yeah he did. Usually I’d say guys like Luca can’t be taken seriously but the way he just walked out of here, I can admit I might be wrong about that. He obviously does have feelings, who would have thought?”

“Certainly not me... ugh! Anna you’re not helping, you should be helping! Luca’s gross, remember?!”

“I’m sorry, but for the record we only agree with you on Luca being gross because we want to keep the peace. I know it’s easy to forget but he’s our friend too.”

*****  
They both ponder that thought for a short moment when Anna suddenly remembers something, “omgosh! I can’t believe I forgot. Cash called me earlier, said he’d been trying to reach you but couldn’t and got worried.”

Zoey stops pacing, angling towards Anna, “Wait, what?!!”

“Yeah, he said he couldn’t seem to get you on the phone or social media and he had a very important message for you.” 

“Anna! How are you just telling me this?”

“For starters, he called me when you disappeared and let’s not forget little miss closet, I’ve been kinda shook since I found you in there. So, you’ll have to forgive me.”

“Relax on the sarcasm please,” rolling her eyes, “so, what’s the message?” 

“Oh just that he’ll be at Cal U tomorrow, something about him traveling out this way for some big meeting.” Anna says nonchalantly

“He’s coming here tomorrow and he’s calling about it today?!”

“To be fair, he mentioned he had been unable to reach you for a few days now, he finally gave up and called me.”

“Oh yeah, I’ve been kinda preoccupied.” Zoey whispers shamefully.

“Why? Is it because you’ve been having all the sex?” With a scrunch up of her nose, Anna asks jokingly and sympathetically. 

“Um no...” Zoey lets out a soft chuckle, “I’ve been purposefully staying away from all forms of communicating devices, ...you know, to stay away ...from the temptation of ... you know, having... all of the sex.” She finishes mockingly 

“Make fun but I’m not the one who has to go to extreme measures to avoid a lover that’s suppose to mean nothing to her.” 

“Oh, Anna’s getting feisty.”

“I’m just saying, ... good luck, you’re going to need it.” Anna giggles.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, trying to stay away from Luca, you ended up missing all of Cash’s attempts to talk and worst of all, you didn’t even think to miss him the entire time?” 

“What are you getting at?”

“I’m just saying, Luca seems to occupy your time a lot more than the love of your life.” Anna continues with accusatory brows raised, 

“seems like a lot of effort to avoid him just to end up with your hands caught down his pants anyway... extreme measures and it still wasn’t effective, what could that possibly mean?” 

Anna playfully reaches out and grabs Zoey’s hand, palm up, reading it. “Hmmm... my senses are tingling Zoe, they’re saying...”

“You have no sense!” Zoey defensively snatches her hand back out of hers, “okay sure, I will admit it was extreme measures but it wasn’t like it was necessary, I just needed to be sure he couldn’t get to me, not the other way around....” rushing through and fumbling over her words. 

“That’s it, yep! Hmm hmm.” Feeling very proud of herself for that excuse.

“Same difference, however; you told me friend, that YOU usually do the calling to meet up”

“MUST YOU BE A GOOD LISTENER EVERY DAMN TIME?!! Just once! Once, let me get away with a flimsy excuse, will you? shit!” Zoey begrudgingly takes her seat opposite Anna.

Anna starts laughing at her dramatic antics at this point.

“Ugh! See see see this is why you don’t believe my lies, you’re too good a listener.” Zoey gestures towards Anna knowing she’s been called out and caught.

Anna continues her heavy laughter. “You say that like it’s a bad thing. At least you have someone to listen to you whine.”

“Way to point out the pros of this regrettable evening.” Zoey lightly chuckles. 

“It must have been hell having to keep this all bottled up this whole time.”

“You have no idea. I hated lying to you guys, most days I just needed my girls to vent to.” 

“wait, so what happens now? Do you and Luca stay friends or...”

“We can’t be friends.” Zoey says way too quickly.

“Wait why not? If all it was is just physical?”

“It is just physical, but Luca and I can’t be friends Anna! I’m literally going to extreme measures to avoid him, We can’t even be alone together in a room for more than 5 minutes without something popping off.”

“Let me get this straight, you’re confident Cash is it for you, meanwhile, there’s a dude out there you have to actively work hard to keep from sleeping with?” 

“Way to make it sound extra putting it like that.”

Anna is looking at her like she grew two heads, “Zoe please, no one is this clueless.” She doubles down on laughter once again. 

Unamused Zoey continues, “I’m glad one of us is amused by the shambles that’s what’s left of my life going down the toilet.” Heavy sigh!

“Oh stop the theatrics Zoey” Anna relaxes a bit from heavy laughter, “no one forced this on you.”

“Forced what on her?” A voice calls from behind them.

That voice, Oh shit!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter introduces “Jillian” to the story. We haven’t seen her character in canon yet but she should be interesting.

“Oh my Gosh! Baby?!” Zoey exclaims, shocked at the sight of Cash standing unflinchingly behind them.

With a smile, he moves towards her smoothly, giving her a quick kiss “hi baby”, he pulls her in for a hug.

“How...? When..?” Zoey asks, still trying to compose herself from the shock of his sudden presence.

“Surprise,” He says with a coy smile, “I thought I could maybe surprise you and it looks like I did.” 

“Mission accomplished.” She whispers before stepping back uncomfortably from him.

“So, you never did answer my question, what was being forced on you?” Looking between Zoey and Anna for answers.

“Psst! ... nothing!..” She goofily tries to deviate from his question.

“No really, I wanna know what’s being forced on my baby.” He says affectionately, pulling her close.

“Anna was just being silly... she’s having some kind of I told you so moment” she looks sneakily at Anna to corroborate her story. 

Anna catches on and adds, “Yeah, yeah... she um ate my food in the refrigerator and had a bad tummy ache and in grand Zoey fashion, she decides to whine about it.” Anna concludes feeling very proud of herself ..

“Yeah, bad food allergy, that was exactly it all..” She looks back up at Cash hoping he bought their story.

“Oh, okay.” Cash shrugged. “Because it’s been crazy trying to reach you, then I hear something’s being forced on you, I was ready to level up..” he says lightheartedly.

“level up?” She laughs, “well, no need for all that champ and as much as I love this surprise reunion, why are you here?” 

“I’m just going to excuse you two...” Anna gets up to leave, “I’ll see you at home Zoe, it’s good to see you Cash.” 

“Yeah you too..” Cash waves.

“See you back home Anna.” Zoey waves her off before refocusing her attention at Cash. “So, wussup?” 

“I had formal assignments out here, so I thought why not kill two birds...”

“Oh,” her face drops. “so, you can make an attempt to see me when you branch off, but any other time it’s whatever?” She squints her eyes angrily at him. 

“Hey don’t do that, you know how busy it gets.”

“Yeah real busy, ....I see exactly how ‘busy’ it gets with you all over social media with all those random girls all over you..” 

“Those girls mean nothing to me.”

“They mean enough! since you so clearly can make time for them.”

“Okay am I missing something? What’s going on? We talked about this before I left..” he looks at her confused.

“Talked about WHAT?!” She says angrily.. “looks to me like your priorities have been skewed for a while now.”

“And it looks to me like you’re sporting for a fight!” He says frustrated. “We had an agreement!”

“An agreement that you were all too willing to just ...overdo...” She looks him straight in the eyes, internally scolding herself for projecting her feelings on him.

“Obviously there’s plenty happening in that head of yours I haven’t been clued in on.” He reaches out to her gently, “I have this one night here before I have to go back, I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to spend it fighting.”

“Lucky me.” She rolls her eyes, before sitting back down on one of the empty chairs.

“I can’t believe this is how you want to spend our one night together.”

“I haven’t seen you in months, and you’ve been out there doing god knows what with too many girls and you show up tonight and expect me to what exactly? ....” with stern eye contact, she says... “lay with you?” 

“That’d be nice.. considering how long it’s been...” he shrugs 

“Are you shitting me right now?” 

“I’m not going to turn down being with you, that’s never going to happen Zoey but we don’t have to do anything you don’t want to either.”

“Aww, that is so sweet! thank you so much for your magnanimous generosity.” She says sarcastically.

“Okay this night is the opposite of what I expected it to be.” 

“I need you to know, you can’t just be over there and me over here FOR MONTHS and you expect everything would just be the same when you do decide to look back.”

“Where is all this coming from?.. we talk all the time, and we were talking just last week and you weren’t irritable about anything.” 

“This is how I’m feeling now, deal with it.” 

He carefully moves towards her, “shit Zoey, give a guy a heads up about how you feeling next time..” he sighs.. “just letting me show up thinking I’m about to be welcomed by my loving girlfriend....”

“Your loving girlfriend?” She moves closer to him too, “Are you kidding?”

“So what? You’re not my girlfriend anymore?” He asks perplexed. “When did that change? And it would have been nice to have been included when all this changes happened!” He says sternly

That succeeded in calming her down, she lowly says, “nothing changed.” She sighs, looking down.

“You sure? ... cause you seem pretty done to me.... shit, the first sight of me after months of your intensive nagging that I haven’t been around, you’re chewing my head off.” 

“I do not nag!” She says irritated.

“Whatever... which is it Zoey? Are we done or are you just tripping?”

“Of course we’re not done! But don’t talk to me like that!” 

“You mean the same way you’ve been talking to me the minute Anna left?” 

She sighs.. “fine, I apologize for ‘chewing your head off’, but it doesn’t give you the right to talk to me like a dumbass.”

He calms down, “You’re right, and I’m sorry too... I just got upset Zoey. You can be upset but it just seems so sudden.. you know?” He pulls her close. “I don’t want to fight.” He says softly.

“Neither do I.” She sighs, “truth is, I don’t even know what my outburst is about.” 

“What do you say we start over then,” He smiles, looking every bit as ruggedly handsome as he is. 

She smiles goofily back in return, “that’d be nice.”

“Okay then...” he leans down to kiss her again, this time she reciprocates pleasantly. “Hey baby.”

“Hey.” She smiles happily.

*****  
*knock knock knock*

On the third knock, Nomi rushes over to the front door, to open it for another one of their expected friends. “I got it!” She screams out.

It’s Anna’s birthday and the crew are commemorating at their apartment first for their usual “gift giving” ritual on birthdays. 

“Hey.” 

“Hey dude, come on in.”

Luca stands politely still at the door, he smiles and hands over a wrapped box to Nomi. “For Anna”

“I know, just put it up there on the table.” Nomi says as she rushes back into her room to finish getting ready.

“Okayyy...” he sighs, carefully stepping into their apartment to drop off the gift as instructed. 

“Nomi who is it?” Zoey trails off at the sight of Luca. She inhales sharply... this is the first time she’s seen him in over a week and as short a time period as that’s been, she missed him more than she cares to admit. 

Once Cash left the very next day upon his arrival last week, she did her very best avoiding Luca. 

She spent the whole day after his departure battling the overwhelming guilt she felt for the random outburst at him sight on seen. 

Why did Luca have to complicate things with feelings? ...whatever happened to mr. “I don’t do feelings”... ugh! He is the bane to my existent, she concludes internally.

Realizing there’s no where to escape to, she awkwardly blurts out a goofy, “heyyyyy bud!” While pointing at him.

He gives her a crinkled smile, “Bud? ... is that what we are now?” Looking at her in amusement.

“Yeah... sheesh... we’re buds!” She giggles animatedly, feeling even more awkward under his amused gaze, she slowly adds, “I mean... we could be buds...” her voice completely softens up. “If you like ....”

He looks back at her softly, “Could we really be ... ‘buds’? ...” her awkwardness becoming contagious.

She moves slowly towards him, “I’d really like it.”

Like magnets, he feels his body move involuntarily toward hers too, “I thought we already were buds?...” he smiles at her so adorably, Zoey thought she might burst.

“Wellll.... maybee... we can try being buds that don’t avoid being around each other?” She stands toe to toe with him, fumbling with the button of his light blue crisp shirt.

“We can definitely work on the buds thing ... but I don’t think buds are allowed to play with each other’s shirts..” he says teasingly

“Why not?” She teases back, flirting.

“Because you know what that leads to... and we already put a tight lock on that one Chief.” 

“Says who?” She questions, playing angry

“Says you!” He smirks.

She laughs... Shaking her head amusingly, “I kinda missed you, you know.” Squinting her eyes playfully at him..

“I know,” he sighs dramatically, “if I were you I’d miss my sex too.” He jokes, shaking his head.

“Shut up!” She chuckles as she playfully hits his chest, “besides, don’t sell yourself short Hall, you have way more going for you than sex that makes you totally missable.”

“Wowwww... Even the silly name calling?” 

“Especially the silly name calling...” she giggles, getting caught up in the moment, she moves in closer.

“Ahem!” Ana clears her throat, alerting them to her presence.

*****  
They quickly pull apart. Luca rushes over to her, giving her a quick hug. “Happy birthday Anna!” He hands over her gift.

“Hmm hmm...” She gives Zoey the side eye before saying “thanks” to Luca. Luca squirms uncomfortably.

“I told you I’d put a lot of thought into your gift. Check it.” Luca says excitedly as he tries to lighten the tension filled room.

“Look guys, lets not pretend I didn’t just walk in on a very inappropriate moment, we all know what it is.”

“What is it?” Luca asks genuinely confused. 

“Seriously?” Anna directs at Zoey while pointing at Luca. “Him? Seriously?... you’re risking it all for this dude?” Anna shakes her head tiredly.

Zoey gulps. “Anna, I know it’s your birthday, and I love you, but this is what we’re not going to do.” Zoey moves over to grab her toward their joint bathroom.

“What are you doing?” 

“Letting it be clear that no one is risking anything for anybody, ...so why don’t we just go finish getting ready and head out.” 

“Cool guys, I’ll just be over here.” He looks around awkwardly, “waiting...”

*****  
“Hey yoooo! My peoples! V-dig in da house! Who’s ready to partyyyy?” Vivek exclaims as he enters the lively apartment.

“Hey man!” Luca greets him with a bro hug. 

“Common ladies! Let’s go!” He eyes the birthday girl. “And I know you all want a piece of the V man but tonight, he’s all yours Anna.” He gives her a hug, “congratulations baby girl.”

Anna shakes her head but smiles at their lovable friend anyway, “Let’s go all, I’m ready.”

“You heard the birthday queen! Let’s be out guys!” Vivek extend his elbows to Anna for her to grab a hold of as they all head out to party.

“Hey guys! Wait for me.” The gang look back at Jillian, rushing over to join them. 

At the sight of her, Luca smiles fondly. “Hey Jill.”

“Hey luks!” She giggles at him fondly.

“Luks?..” Zoey says to no one in particular, “his name is Luca.” She rolls her eyes at the display in front of her.

“Whatchu say? girl is you good?” Sky asks, noticing her discomfort. 

“I am just great!” She fakes a genuine smile at her friend. “Yay... lets go party”

“Okay, if you’re sure you’re good.” Sky moves ahead minding her business as she often does. 

“Wussup?” Nomi asks catching up to her next.

“Nothing,” she responds watching Luca and Jillian walk arm in arm ahead of her. “...haven’t you heard? It’s gonna be a great and enjoyable night for everybody!” She exclaims sarcastically.

“Great!” Nomi responds excitedly, linking her arm with Zoey’s, completely oblivious to her friends sour mood. 

Zoey suddenly dreads the entire evening ahead.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spanish is not my native language, so conjugating her Spanish into her dialogue is a slight challenge but just giving Ana a bit of her roots.
> 
> “persona aburrida“ - a boring person  
“Mejor Amiga” - best friend

The gang chose the boisterous and colorful ‘XL’ night club instead of their usual ‘Titan’ for Anna’s birthday celebration, and as usual, it didn’t disappoint. 

Not disappointing for all except, Zoey ~who is currently sulking at the corner of their special reserved table, sipping a very alcoholic drink~ while nursing a very serious annoyance. 

Zoey watched from a short distance as everyone of the crew had fun out on the dance floor, dancing with a partner, having a grand ol’ time. 

She can’t help the uncontrollable and continuous eye rolling she’s directing in the direction of the bar.

Her sights were specifically set on Luca and Jillian as they sat there talking, laughing and getting on like fast friends. 

“Hey Jill, Hey Luks.. ugh, gross!” She huffs as she mimics their earlier greeting to herself, while sipping her drink and snaring at them.

“Hey Zoey!” Anna screams over the very loud music. The combination of Zoey’s buzz and the colorful lighting in the club making her look psychedelic. 

“Hey” she slurs distractedly as her attention pulled back to the bar. 

Anna looks ahead toward Zoey’s line of view, “Oh brother!” She rolls her eyes knowing exactly why Zoey’s sitting around sulking.

“What brother?” Zoey asks confused.

“Alright Luca Junior, common... you’re not about to turn yourself into the only persona aburrida at my party.” She grabs Zoey, pulling her toward the dance floor.

“I don’t want to danceeee..” Zoey whines as she allows herself to be pulled to the dance floor anyway.

“Yeah ya, .. think of it as a favor to me. I need a dance partner.”

“What about Vivek?... he’s willing to dance with you all night long if you’d let him.” 

Anna gives her a stern unamused look, “let’s not.”

“fine, I’ll be your dancing partner.” Zoey giggles, “besides, I think Vivek’s over there trying to get into any girls pants that’ll let him.”

“Exactly, ... now dance with me mejor Amiga.” Anna laughs, dancing goofily all around Zoey. That got Zoey in the silly spirit as well and they all dance together happily.

*****  
Luca watched Zoey dance clumsily with Anna from his seat at the bar, preferring to be an observer tonight.

While sitting there, entranced by her every move, he realized how deeply his emotional attachment to her runs. 

Luca badly wants to respect her decision and be a good platonic friend to her, however; try as he may, he can’t seem to get her out of his system. 

Luca often wonders why her? ... and why did he feel so strongly for her? ... she wasn’t exactly pleasant to him the majority of the time, and when she was, she spends the majority of that time finding ways to talk herself out of it.

There were certain things about her that drove him completely wild, simple things like her quirky mannerisms, her hearty throaty laughter ~when she laughs, she laughs with all her being~ her hair, the ways she smells, her lips..... 

Deep in thought, he missed Jillian trying to get his attention, She turns to him, calling for his attention cheerfully, “dude, I think I wanna join the party!” She shakes him.

“What?!” He screams trying to hear her over the loud music.

She got closer to his ear, reaffirming her earlier statement. “I THINK I WANT TO GO DANCE”

“Oh! ... that’s cool, go ahead” He points her towards the dance floor.

“I didn’t need your permission ... I do think you should come with though.” She turns back to wink playfully at him.

“I think I’m fine right here,” He gives her a genuine smile. “But thanks for the offer.” He winks playfully back at her.

“I wasn’t really asking,” she gently pulls at him as she starts getting up. “I think sitting here not participating in all the fun makes us a very boring duo.”

“This song isn’t exactly my vibe,”

“That’s fine, vibe with your friends anyways and maybe you won’t be the boring none life of the party.” She sticks her tongue out at him playfully as she pulls him toward the dance floor. 

“Fineeeee!... But I’m not the best dancer.” He says as he lets himself be pulled to the dance floor.

*****  
The crew scattered all over the dance floor, rubbing bodies, dancing wild and getting even louder to the music. Everyone at some point switched dancing partners without a care in the world.

By the time Luca and Zoey danced toward each other, the wild music had stopped, a slower song came on. 

Everyone paired up closely, dancing and grinding slowly to the softer music. Luca and Zoey awkwardly pull closer to each other. “So...” Zoey starts giggling bashfully.

“So...” Luca looks at her questionably. “We dance?”

“We dance.” she agrees with a stern nod trying to break their never ending tensive energy.

“Sure..?” He asks unsure..

“I mean.. everyone else is doing it.” She shrugs looking around, just as unsure as he is but determined to get through one evening together as normally as possible with their friends.

He looks around and seeing all their friends paired up and dancing without a care in the world, he gives in. “Okay,... so... we dance.” He concludes with a charming smile as he pulls her close to him.

*****  
It was common knowledge that Zoey wasn’t the best at dancing, and neither was he but right now in this moment, with their bodies almost glued together, she is a fantastic dancer.

With even rhythm, they danced close. She was almost his height in her very high stilettos, and her slim, little figure was perfect in his arms. 

Her face was so close to his as they dance cheek to cheek, ... chest to chest..., with even beats. Zoey begins to feel her heartbeat speeding up overwhelmingly. 

With her eyes wide open but dilated, there is a ease, a small voice in her head telling her this is where she wants to be ~if not forever~ for a very very long time. 

That kind of thinking is dangerous and usually her denial would have made it easy to pull far away from him but, she is undeniably buzzed already and that just made her ease deeper into him. 

Feeling her pull closer into him Luca’s reflexes held on to her tighter. Their hearts beating simultaneously evenly and rapidly.. his fingers ran down her spine, along the zipper of her dress.

Her eyes immediately shuts close at the feel of his cool hands running down her back. The combination of his cool hands and his warm body holding her tightly made her shiver uncontrollably....

Luca wasn’t sure if he imagined her shivering against him or if it really happened but he knew it was safer to believe she might have just been cold from a sudden and short lived chill.

He was certainly not imagining the dress she’s wearing sliding down to the floor.. with them getting sweaty and ..., no, no.. nope! She is now the bud! his friend, there will be no more wild thoughts.... if he can help it.

He made her a promise he plans to keep, “I’ll help you sustain..” he promised and so, he pulls back a bit, determined to be the caring friend to her he wants to be.

His sudden shift broke her out of the trance she was in, she looks up questionably at him. 

He awkwardly looks at anything but her trying to find a ice breaker, anything but the topic of their turbulence of an unwanted one sided emotional affair...

“It’s crazy...” he nods awkwardly toward the crews direction, “Look how much fun Anna’s having... it’s good to see her that excited.” He says as if there were nothing unusual about his sudden interest in Anna and how excited she is about anything. 

She frowns at his obvious discomfort.

“What about you?.. having fun?” He says finally looking at her. 

"Yeah, but I’m trying not to think about how bad my hangover is going to hit in the morning." Finally catching on.

"Oh?" said Luca, leaning a bit more away from her. "Well, future Mrs. Mooney ...” adding a purposeful emphasis to the title, “if it's too much for you, I'm sure we can arrange a ride home before the clock strikes midnight and your carriage... oh, I mean your uber... turns into a pumpkin.” Luca says with a teasing and playful smile.

Calling her “future Mrs. Mooney” felt like a necessary cold shower, she too was reminded of his promise, ... “Actually, I’m just gonna go back to the table..” she says as she clumsily walks away from him.

He sighs heavily, watching her walk away. 

*****  
After two more rounds of drinks, most of the light weights in the group were retired back to their table. 

Anna, Zoey, Jazz, and Doug lounged around while the others continue to ‘party’.

“Why is Sky still dancing with Vivek?” Doug asks through his foggy vision.

“She must be drunker than we think.” Anna adds, cringing at the messy sight. 

“Idk ‘bout ya’ll but I’m ready to call this a night. I’m wiped.” Jazz slurs lazily while draped all over Doug for support.

“My baby does look wiped, we need to get Aaron and dem off the dance floor so we can dip” Doug adds as he looks at a beat Jazz pitifully.

“What do you think Anna?” Zoey asks the birthday girl tiredly.

“It’s my party and all but it’s 3am and technically my birthed day is over, plus I’m just ready to go. I want my bed so bad.” She whines.

“Well we’d be able to go if certain people will detach from each other long enough to focus on certain other people,” Zoey says with a biting tone.

“Yeah, I wish Aaron and Vivek would stop hopping all over every girl walking and just let’s go!”

“I wasn’t exactly talking about those fools.” Zoey eyes Doug like he’s lost his mind for not being able to read her mind.

“Why not? We rode here with them..”Doug continues confusedly.

Anna rolls her eyes, knowing exactly who Zoey was referring to. “She’s obviously talking about Luca and new girl. Duh!”

“What do they have to do with any of this? They have been having quite a responsible time just chilling at the bar, vibing.” Doug addresses even more confused. “In fact, I’m thinking we need to change our designated drivers to them two.”

“Luca doesn’t drive...” Zoey adds sharply, “besides, he seems too preoccupied with “Jill”, we’re probably better off calling a uber.” 

“Why uber when we’ve got cars and two very sober peeps in the crew?”

“I’m just saying... “ she says with more attitude. “When... when .. did they get so close anyways?..” she slurs ... “I mean, what kind of nickname is that? ...’Jill’? ... okay Luca, she’s like not a nursery rhyme bro!” 

“Huh? .. um, Zoey you cool?” Doug asks as they all watch her ramble on excessively.

“... and, and, ... Luks? ...sheesh.. that is not his name! It’s Luca for Pete’s sakes! ... like what the hell is HE looking at? Huh?! .. psst! Thought she was soooo cute...” She rolls her eyes as her friends continue to watch on confused and mortified. 

“...um... Zoey?” Anna tries to get her out of her excessive rant mode.

“that is so corny,” she starts giggling .. “Jillian and Luca sitting in a tree, k.i.s.s.i.n.g... weirdos dating weirdos... etc... they are so weird ” she shakes her head and laughs uncontrollably at her own joke.

“Okay guys, Zoey is starting to laugh at her own ‘jokes’, it’s definitely time to get the heck up outta here.” Doug says as he try’s to signal the rest of the crew for departure.

“Zoey calm down.” Anna whispers to her, “your jealousy is getting obvious. Like messy level obvious.” 

“I AM NOT JEALOuS!” She exclaims for all to hear as she sits up.

“Why the hell would she be jealous?” Jazz, feeling a bit better, rises up as she looks at Zoey. “.. and girl, why the hell are you roasting them? .. I have to admit, you acting weird as fuck.”

Zoey relaxes a bit, knowing if she’s not careful, everything hidden will come to light in an instant.

“I’m not roasting anybody, I’m just saying, if you’re going to join the crew so late, the least your ass can do is learn people’s name correctly” she shrugs, “also, I don’t know, weirdos ...shouldn’t date ...weirdos.” 

Jazz looks at her questionably, with raised eyebrows, she says, “Hmm hmm...”

“What?!... it’s.. weird.” She gestures as she sits back awkwardly, “it’s all I’m saying.”

“Whatever, ... can we go now please?” Anna asks, getting impatient.

“J’yup! Just let me go rally the troops ya’ll. I’ll be right back.” Doug says as he steps away from their sitting section towards the over hyper members of the crew. 

*****  
The crew gathered around trying to decide who is riding with each of their designated drivers... Doug made it very clear he’d feel safest with Jillian driving if she chose to since Luca apparently didn’t drive. 

Zoey mumbles... “isn’t she just miss popular tonight ...”

“I’m sorry?” Jillian asks, facing Zoey in what feels like the first time all night.

“Okay so nobody wants to ride with me?..” Luca says, playing offended.

“Dude you don’t even drive!” Zoey exclaims, annoyed.

“I don’t have a car Young one but, I know my way around the wheel.”

“Yeah whatever, ... I guess you are the lesser of two evils.” She snarks.

“That’s two in a roll,...” Jillian huffs, confused. “I’m sorry Zoey, but do you have a problem with me?”

“Me? I have no problems, no problem at all ... with anyone, I just don’t ride with strangers.” She responds with slight sarcasm.

“Stranger?.. but you’d gladly take a uber? you’ve known me almost a whole school year.” 

“Yeah Zoey whatchu on? Hate to instigate but I think you do got a problem with her.” Sky chimes in casually. 

“I SAID I DON’T HAVE A PROBLEM,” she shouts irritatedly, “and Just because you’ve been around a whole school year doesn’t mean we know you.” 

“Um... are we leaving at any point tonight?” Anna whines from her seat in the car.

“You know what? Everyone rides with Jill,” luca says, they all look at him questionably, “it’s what you all high key wanted anyway. I’ll take care of this firecracker over here.” 

They all look to Zoey for approval to leave her behind since Luca wasn’t exactly one of her favorite people to their knowledge. 

Luca firmly pulls Zoey toward the second vehicle.. “Zoey rides with me, go!” He says so sternly no one had the energy nor the nerve to question it.

“Welp! ... let’s roll!” With that, the crew gathered into Aaron’s spacious ride, with Jillian driving, they drove off.

“Okay macho man can you calm down please!?” Zoey says as she lets herself be pulled up by Luca.

He stops, facing her with apparent irritation in his voice, bumping into her. “Okay, why do you have to treat her like that? What’s your problem?”

“What problem?” She says just as irritated. 

“That uncalled for scene you just created attacking that poor girl.”

“The last time I checked Luca, she’s not some fragile being getting bullied, she can defend herself just fine. No need to play the hero for your little girlfriend.”

“My what?” Realization finally hitting him, “Wait, you think Jill is my girlfriend?!” He looks at her incredulously.

“The way you two were at the bar almost all night on...”

“Unbelievable!” Luca exclaimed, too upset at the realization that her sudden dislike of Jillian is due to jealousy. “You know what?, I’m taking your ass home!” 

Zoey was left dumbfounded, watching him walk away from her into the waiting car. Luca rarely got mad, especially at her, she was not looking forward to this car ride. He dares be upset with her over another girl? Unbelievable!


	8. Chapter 8

Zoey and Luca have been in the car riding home for what feels like a deafening hour, in reality, it had only been ten minutes. 

“So what?... you’re not going to piss me off by scolding me some more on behalf of your girlfriend?” 

Luca continues giving Zoey the silent treatment, blame it on the alcohol in her system ~Zoey definitely would~ but with every minute that goes by without him uttering a word, Zoey realizes she is not fond of this side of him and it makes her want to misbehave. 

His silence was grating! Zoey can’t believe she wants his obnoxious rambles back. Feeling every bit like a kid about to throw a temper tantrum, she lets it happen, she couldn’t help herself, “so you’re literally not going to talk to me because of that girl?” She huffs

He remains silent.

“Seriously? You’re ignoring me? ... seriously?” His silence deafening and making her agitated, she hits his arm. She huffs and puffs.. “so you’re just going to sit there, not saying a word?..” 

“You’re being mad extra right now, relax!” He exclaims frustratedly.

“Don’t tell me to relax!... I’ll relax when I feel relaxed asshole.”

“Stop acting like a brat.” 

“DON’T CALL ME NAMES! I AM not a brat! And I don’t appreciate your condescending tone either.” She huffs adjusting uncomfortably in the passenger seat.

“I said stop acting like one .. because as peeved as I am with the whole immature trip you’re on right now, I know it’s not you.” 

She looks over at him, calming down for the first time since they got in the car, “what does that mean?” She asks warily.

“You can be a piss of a human to me most days but I also know that’s just a thing you do with me, you’re kind and accommodating to others.” He glances towards her briefly before turning back to the road, “now why can’t you be nice to Jillian.”

“OH MY GOD!!, if I hear that name ONE MORE TIME !! I’LL ...I’ll ...”

“You’ll what? Continue your never ending theatrics?” He shakes his head, “you were outta pocket and you know it.”

She hisses, “outta pocket my ass.” She takes a deep breath before muttering “I don’t like her” 

“So fucking childish! Why the hell not?” he mutters under his breath.

“Come again?” 

“I was very clear Zoey. You’re being childish, why don’t you like her? Because she and I like each other?”

“I am not childish!”

“What you are is unreasonable and I’m off this.”

“Excuse me?!”

“You heard me” Throwing a quick disapproving glance her way, frustrated.

“Look, who you choose to spend your free time with is your business, stop flattering yourself and badgering me about bullshit..” She looks out the window muttering “I don’t care” quietly. 

“So you keep saying.” Fed up, Luca pulls into the nearest stop, needing to be less distracted while driving, he parks the vehicle, turning off the ignition. 

Stretching to look at the dash board to gauge the problem. “What are you doing? Is there is problem with the car? Is it gas?”

“No, it’s fine.”

“If there’s no problem with it and we’re good on gas, then why the hell are we in this random parking lot?”

refocusing his attention to her, holding eye contact, “forget the gas, the car is fine, Zoey, let’s talk.”

“I thought we were?” She raises her eyebrows at him sassily.

He sighs, “look, I want to be with you, I made that very clear, and that hasn’t changed! But, you keep telling me I’m not your lane.” He sighs again, this time exhausted, “so, stop being fucking selfish.”

“Watch it!”

“I’m deadass! Jillian and I are not together, never have been, but it’s not hot that I need to explain that to you.”

“Be with her, don’t be with her, who the fuck cares about your bullshit relationship with her?” She exclaims, getting heated at the mere thought of Luca and Jillian. 

“If you don’t care, why were you coming at her like that then?” He asks, confused, “Is there something she did you don’t like?” Luca asks softly, feeling regret at his probable misjudgment of the situation.

“No, she is perfectly lovely.” She said quietly as she continues to look out the window.

“Then what the fuck is up?!” Silence... Frustrated, he speaks up louder this time. “Damn it... can you just say what’s on your mind, FUCKING PLEASE?!” 

“FINE!” Zoey exclaims frustratedly, looking at him. “I hate, Okay, HATE! the thought of you with her or anyone else for that matter! Is that what you want to hear?”

“What?” He moves back, her response taking him by surprise.

“I have a guy who is everything I ever wanted, who loves me, we made plans Luca! Plans for our future together,” she starts rambling incessantly... 

He sighs, shaking his head but continues on listening....

“do you have any idea how frustrating it is to not be able to get rid of someone you don’t want to want in your system?...needing you, wanting you..”

“I have an incline.” He spews at her sarcastically. “It must be so difficult being you Zoey... fall back, get over yourself.”

“You think this has all been easy for me?” She looks at him incredulously, her eyes heavy, close to tears. 

“do you think I’m stupid and don’t know that you have every right to be with whomever you want? That you owe me absolutely nothing?”

He calms, “I thought ending this was what you wanted?” He sighs, voice heavy on emotion. “I just don’t understand what you want out of this thing with us and I’m exhausted trying to figure it out.”

“I’m sorry my feelings are such a burden on you.”

“Zoey you’re not playing fair, up until a few minutes ago, I didn’t even know there was any feelings to consider.”

“I know what this is and what it isn’t.. don’t worry, I’m working on it.”

“Are you?” He questions seriously

“Don’t condescend to me Luca.”

“I’m not! I just think If I can learn to live with your wishes and want you happy, why is this so hard for you? ... our situation or lack there of was all you.”

“Because, I hate the fact that I can’t stop this! and the fact that it drives me the absolute craziest just thinking of you with anyone else.” 

Her breathing getting heavy, tears threatening to spill everywhere... “and what I hate most is this overwhelming need I feel to throw away all caution and future plans ~whatever they might be~ to lose control when I’m with you and ... and... that’s just senseless and irresponsible and...”

“Zoey calm down, please.” He says softly realizing she’s close to hyperventilation 

“And I know how selfish that is, and on me! I wish I could just forget you and go back to wanting what I wanted BUT Luca I can’t!” She sighs frustrated just before angrily stepping out of the car. 

He immediately follows right behind her. “Hey! Where are you going?! It’s the middle of the night.”

“Leave me alone!”

“this is childish Zoey... Get back here! It’s not safe out here.” He quickly catches up to her, grabbing her arm, stopping her from getting further away from the few feet from their parked vehicle they are currently.

With her back still turned to him, she whines, “WHY DO YOU CARE?! Drive home to your girlfriend!” She rolls her eyes heavenward, Even she having no choice but to internally own up to her childish behavior. 

“I don’t have a girlfriend and you know that.” He says softly as he gently turns her around, facing each other, he smiles.

“I’m sorry” is not said out loud, but it’s written all over her vulnerable face.

Instead, with misty eyes, she quietly says, “that car is suffocating.”

“Then we’ll stand out here a min for some fresh air. Just don’t storm off please.” He says as he gently tucks her messy curls behind her ears and caresses her face. 

She leans into his palm, taking relaxing deep breaths, she softly whispers a “thank you.”

Merely a few seconds had gone by before she says, “So, you want to talk.” 

“I do.” He chuckles in response, genuinely amused by her mood swings 

“What about?”

“About you, about me, ...maybe about us?” He threads lightly

“What about you and me?” She asks firmly.

“I can easily do what I usually do and say nothing and we’ll keep going in circles ... or we can go somewhere less dark and more safe and talk about everything you just admitted to in the car.”

Knowing he was right, with a heavy heart, she sighs, her shoulder slumps, she gives in. “Okay.”

*****  
They stand like that for fifteen minutes talking casually about everything and nothing all, their undeniable chemistry arising, pulling them closer, overtaking them.

Getting ready for the club earlier, of all the things Zoey imagined would turn out of this evening, this was not it.

She definitely did not imagine time spent one on one having a heart to heart ~being kissed thoroughly by him~ at a nearly deserted parking lot... tonight turned out is wild.

They are so in tune with each other, they’d somehow managed to walk backwards interlinked to their parked car, ending up with Zoey trapped between a very attentive, hovering Luca and the car.

She couldn’t think back to what led to him telling her the story of his one infamous “controlling grandpa Hall”, a man who tried to buy his way into everything, a powerful man with no remorse or consideration for others. 

Here she is anyway, interested, listening attentively while they were both completely lost in each other....

Zoey blinks, shocked. "Are you serious? Your grandfather had that much pull and couldn't even get you into RISD?"

"I wouldn’t have gone even if he had accepted that fashion and art was my passion, which he didn’t. I don’t want him having that kind of power over me.” 

“How would he do that?”

“Mind if I light up?” He asks as he pulls out a spliff, she signals her nonchalance about it, he lights up before continuing calmly, 

“Grandfather can be power hungry and controlling, he’s lived his whole life like that. He always wanted a son to carry on his legacy as the top settlement lawyer in New York, and since Dad never amounted to much, he figured I’d be his best chance at it.”

“Why you?”

“My dad’s an only child, and I’m his only kid.”

“Wow, Luca Jae Hall a lawyer? ...” she sizes him up fondly before concluding, “I just can’t picture it.”

He blows out a smoke while chuckling softly, “I know, me neither.”

“He sounds like a real piece of work. It must have been tough growing up.” She looks at him, clearly seeing him for the first time in all the times they’ve known each other.

“Yeah, it was, grandfather made sure my upbringing was as suffocating as you can imagine. I had no room to breathe, to do me, to just be....” he sighs, “the freest I’ve ever been in my life is right now, when I chose to move out here to LA, without his help or money and it’s been cool.”

She feels a sudden overwhelming need to hold him closely, but she settles for caressing his face softly, moving his free falling loc’s away from his eyes to look sweetly into them. 

She had a new found appreciation for how he’s chosen to live his life. “I get it now, why living for you and in the moment is so important... I get it now.”

“This isn’t some sappy story to get you to feel sorry for me or anything...”

“No, I don’t, if anything I respect you for it. Standing on your own two feet, being true to yourself and deciding who and what you want to be, ... It’s ...kinda hot.” She says with a sweet smile.

generating an identical smile from his face, he bashfully says “thank you, I appreciate that.” 

She smiles harder, unspoken love written all over her face even though she’s never muttered anything close to that word to him. 

“my father is first generation money in our family, maybe that’s why he’s more lenient, never having experienced that kind of pressure from Pops, I never had that kind of upbringing.”

Luca nods thoughtfully at her words, “I truly feel sorry for him, because the sad thing is, he genuinely thinks he’s doing the right thing. He’s a white man that grew up with multigenerational wealth, control is all he knows.”

“So you broke free... no one deserves toxic upbringing. Not to sound insensitive, but it gives me a new found appreciation for my upbringing and for my dad.”

“I appreciate your dad too,” he shrugs, “how could I not? have you seen you?!” He flirts jokingly.

“Shut up!” She playfully pulls him closer by his shirt, glued together, she continues giggling softly. “So, how did you get out of going to one of the Ivy leagues like Yale or Harvard law or something?”

“I flunked my LSAT on purpose, I knew with terrible scores it gave me a legitimate reason to talk my way out of it, especially with mom. I knew if she thought I couldn’t handle it, she’d fight for me.” Luca admitted. 

“Did she?”

“Not at first, and it took a lot of plea bargaining but eventually she gave in. I was always the artsy creative type and getting good grades was never my strong suit, I was barely a B average student. So, none of the top ten law schools would take me.”

“If I recall correctly, you still don’t care about grades.” 

“I really don’t” ...they both laugh heartily. 

She continues her ministrations of caresses on his face, leading down his neck to his chest... A pleasurable sound escapes him as he leans his forehead close to hers, lips so dangerously close to each other.

He intensely stares at her lips as he manages to continue through the distraction.. “Grandfather probably could've pressured Yale since he graduated from there and is an honorary alumni, but we weren't talking much and I’d already dipped outta there by the time he found out I sabotaged my LSAT scores.”

“It’s kinda trippy, realizing in this moment how glad I am you got out of there and moved out here”

“Yeah? ... why’s that trippy?” 

“Because, if you’d have stayed, I probably would have never met or known you... and the thought of that, kinda ...surprisingly sucks...” she says with deep realization.

“I wanna kiss you so bad!” He responds out of the blue with desperation in his voice.

Caught off guard, her breathing hitched. “So do it” she whispers against his lips.

“But the rules ... trying to abstain remember?... I promised..” 

Zoey lets out a breathy sigh against his lips, and before she could fully formulate a proper response, he swiftly closes the gap between them. 

“I don’t care ...mmm” he went for it, quieting her with his kiss.


	9. Chapter 9

The rushy feelings induced by their desperate kisses made Zoey feel tipsy all over again, although the real effect of the alcohol she earlier consumed had majorly worn off. 

Pulling back a bit to catch her breath, “Missed me?" she asks him, knowingly.

"like mad!” He reaches out for her hand, “Here, let me show you how much..." he says, his voice sounding sinfully erotic so close to her ears. 

“How much?” She asks breathlessly, gazing deeply into his eyes as if it were the gateway to his soul. 

“This much..” He moves one of her hands all the way down south while his lips descended down on hers again, their mouths met in yet another round of hungry and wet, open-mouth kisses.

Zoey felt herself melting deeply into him, one of her hand getting reacquainted with ‘Luca junior’, the other grips his shoulder as he pulls her impossibly close, ...moaning and groaning.... her fingers wanders to the nape of his neck, playing with his hair...

He pulls back abruptly. His face beat red and unreadable.

"What's wrong?" She asks, worried. 

"Nothing. Just... that's my spot."

She was confused. "What is?"

"Your... hands in my hair..."

Zoey blinks, surprised. "Really? How come I didn’t know this?” a mischievous smile appearing on her face...

"I don’t know Zoey, you’ve never really gotten overtly friendly with the back of my head before.” 

“Okay but do you want me to stop?” she breathed hotly against his mouth, too entranced in the moment, wanting this, wanting him... She raised her eyebrow suggestively.

He swiftly opens the car door, pulling them both into the spacious back seat.... Zoey pulls him down, cradled between her legs directly on top of her... her hand immediately resumes playing with the cropped hair at the nape of his neck.

“You’re not playing fair..” he groans ...

“Isn’t that kinda the point?” Mischief written all over her coy smile 

“I gotchu, ... keep in mind, I got the map to your body.” He warns playfully as his eyes darkens with drunken lust, he moves down slowly, sucking her bottom lip fully into his mouth before gently biting it.

“How can I forget?..” she hisses out, “just as long as you don't kiss my ears or behind them."

“I make no promises...” he says as he leans directly towards her ears, kissing it fiercely, sending her into a very loud and body shaking frenzy. 

“I... I.... tol... told you...” she tries to get out between heavy panting and shaky breaths.

“Hmm...” he moves his ministrations down her neck, giving it a long slow torturous lick with his tongue leading down to her cleavage. 

Pulling down the straps of her dress, he palms one of her breast in his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

She instinctively holds on to his full head of locs tightly with her other hand pressing down on his hip as he grinds his bulge harder into her hip... 

“yessss....” she moans as his slow torturous licks move back up to the back of her ears. “Now who’s not playing fair?” She managed to squeak out between heavy breathing.

He raises his head amused, “all in love is fair baby.” He gives her a boyish grin before resuming his sweet and torturous licks on her neck.

“I’ll show you fair..” with that, she pulls herself forward leaning him back to a sitting position. Swinging a thigh on either side of his torso, she straddles him ~two can play that game~

“Oh ...so you wanna ride, ride?” He teases suggestively.. Luca was being pressed into the seat as Zoey’s mouth devoured his in a hot, panty-moistening kiss.

“You just sit back and enjoy the ride ...” she whispers back suggestively as she grinds harder on his very present and ready bulge. 

It was his turn to let out a torturous groan as he holds on to her butt with one hand, guiding her back and forth movement on his bulge, his other hand reached up, caressing her exposed and braless breast, moving his very eager mouth toward the other one.

Her breathing hitched up, like a high, she felt dazed from the effects of his actions. “gah... how are you so good at that?” She shakily moans out.

“Just relax ...” 

Before she could register what he said, a beam of light streamed brightly into the car, they both look up abruptly... the light deemed off and away into the distance, they both realized it was another car driving by. 

The reality of their location set in for Zoey, ...Luca reaches forward to resume his earlier actions, Zoey held him back, making him pause.

“Zoey, what’s wrong?”

She looks around contemplatively before saying, “I want this so bad but we definitely can’t do it here.”

Dazed and confused, he asks, “why not?”

She softly hits his chest, “Lucaaaa” she softly whines.

“Okay, okay! Just Chill, where then?”

“Somewhere we can be alone, I don’t want to go to jail for indecent exposure.” 

“I get that, but it’d be so worth it.”

“Dude!”

“Okay!” He lets out a deep throaty laugh before getting serious... 

He raises his hand up, gently running his fingers through her disheveled curls, he leans her head forward giving her a gentle kiss on her forehead. “Why don’t we go back to my place?”

“Um...”

“It’s indoors, private, away from everyone..” he tries to convince her, hoping this won’t be another set back on their major break through tonight.

“It’s not a completely dumb idea actually, you have surprisingly comfy bed.” She smirks with a teasing smile.

He leans forward, “by the time I’m through with you tonight, every single spot on your body is getting lit up on that comfy bed.” He brags jokingly

“Are they now?” Zoey giggles, marveling at how Luca could go from vapid airhead pretty boy, to seducer of her, to arrogant blueblood, all within the space of a few minutes.

“You just lead the way boss and see.” He winks suggestively with a bite of his lip, sliding his hand slowly and purposefully down her shapely butt. 

“Just drive the car man!” playfully hitting his chest, she chuckles, before moving off him while shaking her head at his boyish excitement.

“Finee..” He playfully whines as he moves out to the drivers seat.

Once seated and ready to go, she leans in close, tilting her head towards him to kiss him softly, “Don't worry, I have something in my purse you’re going to really enjoy.”

“Word?”

“Word! .. plus, we have all night..."

He breathed her in, “All night? I'm holding you to that."

"I hope you do." 

With a quick peck on the lips, he ignited the car and they were off.

*****  
By the time Luca and Zoey made it back to his apartment, her system had settled down, Zoey realized then she was battling two different types of hunger. 

“Can we order some food?” Zoey says as she walks into his room, she drops her bag on his mini sofa as he trailed sluggishly behind her.

“You wanna actually relax and dine in my room?” Luca asks, surprised.

“Why are you surprised by that?”

“It’s just unusual that’s all..” he shrugs

“Well tonight’s been unusual.” She smiles as she turns around fondly appreciating him from head to toe.

“Facts.” He wraps his arms around her waist, pulling her close... she instinctively wraps her arms around his neck as they lean in for a slow and sensuous kiss at the same time. 

“Hmmm... “ she moans and smiles happily into his mouth, “I like it here.” 

He smiles sweetly, “so... you really want the whole wining and dining experience?” 

“Do you mind?” 

“Not at all, you can have whatever you like.” He resumes his kisses all over her face, starting with her jaw, Playing with her.

“Not that I’m not enjoying all this mushy gushy sweetness, and I love experiencing you like this, but I need food Hall.” She says between giggles.

“Okay cool,” he releases her. “Make yourself comfortable, I’ll be right back.”

“Wait, where are you going?”

“I know the perfect place and it’s about 10 minutes from here, I got you.”

“okayyyy.. But no vegan!” 

“Deal.”

she pulls him back to her by his arm as he was rushing out, she gives him a sweet kiss. “hurry back.”

“Bet, I’ll be back in a flash.” 

“Good.” She smiles bashfully, biting her lower lip and tucking a strand of curl behind her ear as she watched him leave. 

*****  
Luca returns to a dimly lit room, with soft music playing. He looks around searching for Zoey. 

“Zoey?... I got world class pizza and wine.” He sets down the box and bag on the table. “where are you?” He calls out to her.

“In the bathroom” her voice echos from the other room.

“K,” he trails off as he starts setting the table.

Few minutes later... 

“I thought maybe I’d get a bit more comfortable..” He heard her say as the bathroom door creek opens.

He turns around to the sight of her swallowed whole in his burnt orange kimono,... dumbstruck, “wowww” was all he could muster up at the vision in front of him.

Zoey stands confidently in his kimono, under it is nothing but a white lacy bra and a scrap of white lace g-string that he supposes is some kind of excuse for panties, ~not that he was complaining~ he is speechless...

“Mission accomplished.” She giggles, feeling proud of herself. “I told you you’d like something in my purse.”

He should ask her why she’s carrying around naughty lingerie in her purse but ‘Luca Junior’ couldn’t be bothered. 

“Really chief?” He looks at her dopey, “I’m suppose to sit here calmly, with you in that?.. while you eat over priced pizza?” He shakes his head dramatically, “inconsiderate!” He concludes jokingly.

“Suffer!” She whispers close to his ear as she moves past him toward the set table.

“Oh it’s like that? ...copyyy” he smiles, appreciating the view as she wiggles away sultrily toward the set table. She was definitely doing it to torture him and he didn’t mind a damn bit.

But he couldn’t help but wonder as she grabs a slice of pizza, her lingerie in clear view when she sprawls sensually on his mini sofa. Did she sleep like that every fucking night? 

Sure he and Zoey have had their fair share of sexual encounters, but here she is managing to make him feel like this would be their first time. 

Their encounters together were usually rushed and to the point, never any time for anything extra, he never experienced her like this. Comfortable and at ease. Certainly not with lacy expensive lingerie underwear. 

“Are you going to stand there drooling or are you going to join me?” She chuckles at his unease 

sprawled out on that chair like that, her amazing pair of breasts threatening to spill out of the sexy white entrapment, He was a goner...

“I’m joining you Zoey but it’s not for pizza,” He says as a matter of fact, looking at her with fierce hunger.

She gasps, shook at the sudden hunger she sees in his eyes. She drops the remainder of her pizza, her eyes grew heavy and she wet her bottom lip with a swipe of her tongue. “c’mere then... the food can be reheated.”

Zoey has never seen Luca move faster, before she could blink, he was kneeling between her wide spread legs... 

His hands immediately trailed upwards, skimming the sides of her exposed skin, then reaching to cup her firm breasts though the thin lace of the bra. 

“You look so fucking good!... what are you trying to do?” desperation making his voice come out in a husky whisper.

She giggles, they look into each other’s eyes as if it were the gateway to their souls, overwhelmed by all types of lusty and loving emotions, she leans forward... excitement building in her as she witnesses his excitement for her. 

“Just giving you a treat, you’ve been a goody good boy. You deserve it.”

“Thank you,” Was all he said as he leans forward, kissing her so fiercely, they battle for dominance with their tongues.

Zoey coo’s softly as she felt his sweet kisses leave her lips, she can only whimper as the heat of his breath travelled and melted into the very delicate skin behind her ears. 

Her eyes got heavy and rolled to the back of her head as she felt him massaging her breasts after his fingers caught the top of her lacy bra and pulled it down. 

Her rational thoughts went fuzzy... she pulls him up, signaling him into a sitting position, he obliges and immediately pulls her fully on his lap. Her arms instantly wound around his neck.

“So, ...you have my full undivided attention, what would you like to do with it? ...better yet, what would you like to do to me?" 

Luca was besides himself, his thoughts all over the place with only one thing consuming them, Zoey Johnson in his kimono and impossibly hot lingerie. 

feeling her up all over, there was heat, plenty of heat, Warm skin. Soft lips. Delicious. I want. She wants. Let's do this. His brain sings like a mantra.

“How about starting with stripping off all items of clothes, ..then you find out?” he says huskily. 

She leaned forward, whispering sultrily, “Or how about you do that thing where you trace the alphabet with your tongue on my...” before she could complete that sentence, he silenced her with a kiss.

*****  
As he pulls his kimono off her, sliding it down her arms, her fingers sought out his shirt, pulling it over his head and off him. Barely breaking their kiss. 

Coming up for air, she arched her chin and neck up as he trails his lips down the column of her throat, she felt his hands on her hips, lifting her up, she obliges as he loosens his pants. 

She pulls off the Kimono completely, throwing it carelessly on the floor, leaving her in nothing but her underwear, ...she shudders heavily at the sensation of his hands on her thighs just below the trace of her barely visible panty line. 

As his breath tickles her clavicle, she involuntarily swings her head back in an euphoric motion as he trails his tongue down her chest, in between the valley of her breasts. “Mind if I take this off?” He motions to her bra.

“Luca, I want you to take it all off.” 

The next thing she hears is the snap of her bra being unfastened and thrown across the room. Luca’s breathing quickens at the sight of her nearly naked body, She reveled in his continuous fascination with her body, almost like it was his first time seeing her naked. 

she slides down to her knees between his legs, their roles now reversed.

“Zoey! What are you ..."

With his loosened pants now discarded, Zoey pulls down his overpriced underwear as she sets her eyes directly with his, basking in the sheer fire she sees in them, she holds his gaze. 

With hands holding his thighs apart, she traces teasing patterns along the underside of his length with her tongue, laves the head with it, and released him suddenly.

Sensing his surprise, she smirks naughtily as she resumes her actions. Her hands gripped his hips steady as she continues making hot, sweet love to him with her mouth ...

swearing, pleading, hissing, grunting... all from a usually much more controlled Luca ~ who is tightly gripping her curls because he “feels so good”~ lets her know she’s giving him the blowjob of a lifetime.

She finds herself heating up too... the sight of him rapidly coming undone... the sounds of his heightened breathing, his scent and the incredibly soft touch of his hands... all in combination made her feel as if she were on fire.... She continues pleasuring him until he reached his climax.

After a few deep breaths to retain control, he sluggishly raises her head up to look at him, he gives her a tired but satisfied smile as she looks up at him, licking her lips.

Looking at her in awe through thinned lids, he takes a deep breath before saying “No offense chief, but I’m deadass going to destroy the dude that taught you how to do that," with a bite of his lip, he closes his eyes, savoring the moment and how good she just made him feel. 

"Good luck with that suicide mission.” She chuckles at the dramatics of his words.

His eyes flys open quizzically. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean weirdo, is you will have to fight and destroy yourself.... because that was a first." 

With his fingers fully massaging her scalp, he continues, still confused.. “How is that even possible?"

"Well, it’s a bit weird talking about Cash with you right now in this moment, but.. yeah.. I've never really done that with him.” She shrugged casually, “it was clear it always kinda bothered him but it was what it was... I can't hate on dude for that.”

“Really?” 

“Sorry ...” Looking innocently remorseful, she continues, “what I mean is that these days it's kinda part of the deal to do that stuff, especially when you know... you’re actually active with your partner.” 

Feeling slightly awkward she concludes, “It never made sense to me why I couldn't do it... it just never interested me and I never questioned it."

“So what changed?” 

“I don’t know, it just felt natural and right just now.” She says looking into his eyes. “Besides, You’re not my first kiss, or my first time, it’s nice to share something with you that’s a first of many more...”

“Bet?” He pulls her back up on his lap, eagerly.

“Bet!” She giggles heartily.

For the uncountable time that evening, he looks at her, his eyes saying all the things he wasn’t sure he could just yet without rocking their already turbulent boat. “Zoey..."

"It was worth the wait." She kisses him, starting from his jaw. "You're delicious, Luca, I wanna do that again.. *kisses* and again.. *kisses* and again.”

“Um...”

“Here, have a taste..." She leans forward, her tongue plunging in between his lips, as they pressed so close it was like they were trying to absorb the other, becoming of one substance. 

He pulls back abruptly, “Okay, Time for bed."

“Wait what?” She giggles softly, “What are you going to do? tuck me in and read me a bedtime story?"

"Not at all, it just means it’s my turn now." With a suggestive lick of his lips, he lifts them up toward his bed, smoothly.

"Ooh ..." she gasps as he threw her on the bed, spreading her wide open. “Whatcha got planned?” she asks feeling a little out of her element at the anticipation.

"Trying to eat good tonight," was all he said, before covering her body with his.

And he did. Zoey has never before had every inch of her body kissed, caressed, loved... as she does this night. 

After spending a long time just kissing, pressed skin to skin, there wasn't a single part of her body that Luca’s lips hadn’t blessed tonight. 

He began with her toes, and worked his way up... skipping her core because he apparently wants to “save the best for last”

“careful Luca, a girl might mess around and start feeling all kinds of special.”

“You are.” He nuzzles in on her neck, she was in awe of how alert all her sensory points became. She knew in that moment, Luca Jae Hall has ruined her for any other dude. 

Accepting that no matter what the future holds, she belongs with him, mind, body, heart and soul. He can have it all. 

He came back to her lips, kissing her over and over until Zoey was mindless.

"About the letters of the alphabet," she manages to say out loud, even though she barely remembers her own name in that moment.

"Let's see..." he proceeded to trace the alphabet down on her heated core, by the time he got to the letter C, Zoey swears she’ll do anything for him. Right now, she has no limits to how far she’ll go. 

The F was punctuated by two of his middle fingers, plunging deeply into her core, mimicking the rhythm that part of him she’s been missing and haven’t gotten reacquainted with in a while would set.

He began curling his fingers upward, finding that spot that Zoey loves getting reminded she has...“oh wow!” She gasps! Her eyes flings wide open.

By the time Luca got close to the end, Zoey ~who had been trying to hold it off~ came harder than she ever has their whole entire sexual history together.

She has no idea about the rest of the letters as she drifted down from the highest height her body’s soared to... it was almost like giving completely in to her feelings for him awakened something in her. 

She exhales as she drifts off to sleep ~in spite of wanting him to complete the deed with ‘Luca junior’ ~ 

She was so weakened and tired, all she felt was his body wrapped warmly against hers under the covers. With that, she fell into a deep and satisfying sleep.

*****  
The next morning didn't exactly go as Luca planned. He planned to wake Zoey up with a few rounds of full on lovemaking, then breakfast in bed while they hopefully decide what this all means and what they officially are to each other going forward. Instead...

“WAKE UP ASSHOLE!” He felt the pillow Zoey threw at him bounce to the floor. He opens his eyes to see a disheveled Zoey pacing restlessly in front of him, fully clothed in her full fit from the night before.

She’s definitely not wearing kimonos and lingerie anymore .. “Good morning..” he croak out, trying to gauge what he just woke up to. She looks furious!

He shot right up! Threading lightly, “what’s going on?”

“What’s going on, is how stupid I feel for ever trusting you!” She shouts with a loud stomp of her foot. “This was all a sick fucking game to you wasn’t it!?”

“Okay, what’s happening?...” he looks around completely lost and hoping this is a very awkward attempt at an elaborate joke.

She moves in closer, throwing her phone, almost hitting him with it. “That’s what’s fucking going on!” She screams in his face, furious! 

He picks up the phone, examining the screen.

“How could you do this to me? HOW could you humiliate me like that?” This time, her voice is breaking, on the verge of tears.

“Wait a fucking minute!” It was his turn to be furious. “YOU think I had anything to do with this?!” 

She storms even closer to his face, yanks her phone out of his hands and spits out a loud and definitive, “STAY THE FUCK OUT OF MY LIFE Luca!!” Before angrily storming out of his apartment. 

“Woah!... What the actual fuck just happened?!” He exclaims under his breath as he remains unmoving on his bed dumb founded.


	10. Chapter 10

~Door slamming! Furniture rustling! Cursing! Loud cursing!~ ... 

“what the..” Nomi says as she’s shaken awake from her deep slumber on the living room sofa. She rises up groggily to the sight of a disheveled Zoey barking unseemly words of aggression at the refrigerator.

“Zoey what the hell?!” Anna yells, annoyed, as she makes her way into the living room from her bedroom.

“Fuck HIM!” Zoey slams the refrigerator door. “F.u.c.k, Fuck him!”

“You know, people were actually sleeping peacefully before you tornado’d in here.” Says Nomi as she scratches the nest she now calls hair after a long and humid night, “in fact, you might say, some of us were actually enjoying it.”

Zoey belligerently slams her hand on the kitchen counter while spewing vulgar language continuously...”I just can’t believe he would do something so vile, so disgusting, .. so ..so ..SICK!” 

“Well, since we’re wide awake now, no thanks to you, you might as well calm down and tell us exactly what happened.” Ana says as she makes her way closer to Zoey.

A hurried knock on the front door grabs all their attention, “I’ll get it..” 

“No! Nomi do not open that door! It might be him and I do not want to see his face ever again!”

“No, it’s..” Nomi opens the door, revealing Jazz and Sky... “I might have sent them an emergency text the moment you started slamming the refrigerator door.”

“I really wish you hadn’t,” Zoey sighs, leaning on the counter and taking a deep breath for the first time since she made it home. 

“Um yes she should have!” Jazz retaliates, “she sent a mini video of you and girl, you was big wiling! She wasn’t sure if we would have to help calm you down or sum.”

“Girl what is going on witchu?” It was Skye’s turn to chime in, “first you almost got into it with Jillian at the club, ...yeah, Vincent at the Bar filled me in.. now this?... what is up witchu?... you on drugs again?” She whispers her last question cautiously.

“No I’m not on drugs again!” Zoey answers with a roll of her eyes, irritated, “and it’s talk like that, I don’t need to hear right now.” 

She makes a shift towards her bedroom. “and it really makes me wish you hadn’t brought them into my business Nomi.”

“I’m sorry Zo, I just thought,” Nomi begins apologizing before getting interrupted by Jazz.

“Girl please, you don’t have to apologize for being worried about her crazy ass.” Jazz fully facing Zoey, continues.. “girl you are out of control, and we’re your girls, we got your back, but we can’t do shit if you keep acting like this.”

Zoey sighs, resigned to the fact that her friends were all about to know her dirty little secret and it might as well be directly from her. 

“You’re right, I guess I’m sorry too because I have been tripping, but there’s a reason.”

“I would hope so.”

Anna takes a seat opposite Zoey on one of the kitchen bar stools. “So talk to us, and this time, try talking to us, calmly and rationally.”

Zoey simply pulled out her phone, turned it on, and placed it on the counter for the girls to see.

*****  
~WOAH! WTF?! When? How? I knew it! What the actual fuck?~ were all words that flew out of all her friends except one. 

Anna gave her a knowing look, “Wait, Zoey how the heck did Cash get this?!”

“That’s what you’re worried about right now Anna?! Are you seeing the content in this message?!” Nomi asks, shaken.

“Girl how long you been fucking Luca?” Sky asks with wide investigative eyes.

“And how come you ain’t tell us? Better yet, why does Cash know before us?” Jazz added to her sisters inquiry. 

“Or, wait for it, maybe, just maybe, let’s try to figure out how Cash got these photos in the first place.” Anna says mockingly at the girls. 

“Girl I wanna be helpful and a good friend and all but imma need all the dirty details first! I just knew sum was off with that girl!..” Sky looks to her twin for affirmation, “I said it!”

“You sure did girl..”

“GUYs! Focus! ..Zoey is obviously hurting over this, you want to be helpful? You want to be a good friend, Then let’s actually listen for a change.”

“Is that not what I just said?” Sky rolls her eyes, “I’m trying to listen to all the dirty details.” 

“Girl, Cash must be furious!” 

“What gave it away? All the flaming anger emoji or the middle finger ones?” Zoey directs sarcastically at her clueless friends. 

Taking the bait, Nomi answers, “I don’t know, but reading ‘thanks for the birthday gift.🤬!!!... just so you know, we’re done!’ Seems really freaking final to me Zo.” 

“If I’m guessing right, the person who sent this to Cash is who we fighting?” Skye asks

“Yeah who sent it?..” Anna asks, as the girls all look to Zoey for answers... a loud, desperate knock at the door interrupts their conversation. 

They all simultaneously look at Nomi..

“Okay I don’t know who that is, everyone I texted is here.” Nomi shrugs

“Zoey open up please! I need to talk to you!” Luca’s voice desperately echoes through the front door.

“Ooh Girl! What da fuck? ... wait, Luca did this?” Jazz says, as they all look on even more shocked than they already were.

“Wait, wait, guys, this doesn’t make sense,...” Nomi says, “the Luca we all know isn’t a slime.”

“Well, the Luca you know wasn’t secretly fucking me either!” Zoey angrily says

“Good point.” Nomi sighs, “I guess you never really know what anyone is fully capable of.”

“Okay guys, this is fun and all but there’s a dude at the door ...is anyone going to let him in or ..?” 

“Fine Ana, I’ll let him in.” Zoey takes a deep breath threading toward the door.

“Girl are you sure?”

“I got this,” She squints angrily toward the door at the sound of his pleading voice, “you guys just clear the room for a minute.”

The girls all rush into Anna’s room, leaving the door slightly ajar for good reception into their conversation. 

*****  
Zoey opens the door to the sight of a disheveled Luca, he looks pitiful and unkept, she almost felt bad. Almost. 

“What are you doing here Luca? I told you I NEVER want to see you again, I MEANT IT!”

Luca rushes inside before she could extend an invitation. “I know what you said but I can’t let things go, at least not before I get a chance to explain and defend myself ~I’m not exactly sure what I’m explaining~ but we’re not ending on that note, not before I have a say.”

“You have no excuses I want to hear Luca”

“It’s not an excuse,” he sighs exasperated, “I’m genuinely confused about all of this, I would like to be clear what you’re accusing me of exactly” he sighs, “last night was perfect, and I don’t want to loose you.” He says with shaky and pleading voice. “I love you!”

He takes a half step forward...

"Don't touch me! Or fucking come near me!" She warns. “Last night... was the biggest mistake of my life! I don't think I'll ever be able to get over what happened! How could you?!" She says, as she feels all her anger resolving into tears at the sound of his first official ‘I love you’

Luca relents as Zoey collapsed onto the living room sofa, her entire body shuddering from crying. 

Luca says “fuck it” as he closes the distance between them and pulls her into his arms, cradling her, she relaxes into his arms for a few seconds before suddenly, pushing him away.

"I want you to leave, Luca, NOW!”

He pulls back in defeat, with hands raised up in surrender, “okay, okay...” He says calmly, “but you have to know I would never intentionally hurt you.”

Barely registering his words, she sobs. “My whole life is just some kind of sick game to you isn’t it?!” She moves closer to him, the anger returning to her face unmissable.

“What reason would I have to do anything like that to you? Do you think I’m somebody else?”

“I know who I’m talking to, only one other person knew about us and she would never do anything like that.”

“So that’s it, no benefit of the doubt?” the hurt dripping through his words.

“I have to admit, you had me completely fooled, but now I know exactly who you are Luca,” defeated, she continues, “you made sure to get me to fall all the way for you just so you could fuck my life over and you’re standing here trying to do it some more?”

“Do I look like I’m playing to you?”

“No, what You are is sick, twisted, and you will be stopped.”

“you really believe I took intimate pictures of you and me and sent them to your Boyfriend?” Luca says as he points to himself angrily...“You think I’m capable of that?” 

He moves back, tired. “You really have absolutely no faith in me, do you?” That question came out more as a statement than an inquiry, he looks away in sudden realization, hurt beyond believe. 

“That car, the one that zoomed by when we were in that parking lot, the parking lot, you just had to conveniently pull into got the perfect picture of us, in that position and it was sent to cash and I’m just suppose to believe you didn’t do that to get back at me for all the times I rejected us?”

“Maybe you would do something like that for revenge, but Luca Jae Hall would never. That’s not even my style.”

“I’m not an idiot Luca, don’t try to play me for one!” 

“Apparently you are, because I am standing here telling you I have nothing to do with this.” 

“You’ve cost me Cash...”

“After last night, I didn’t know you were still holding on to him” He shakes his head, fully resigned to his next point, 

“I thought we were finally good and it would just be you and me moving forward, why would I need to do some corny shit like that?”

“To secure your spot and make sure he was absolutely no longer an option? ...Because you are and always have been threatened by him?.. I can keep going if you want me to..”

“First of all, no one is threatened by that dude, second, you are so full of yourself, he’s exactly who you deserve.”

“Well thanks to you, he’s no longer an option.”

“Wow, just wow!... I came here hoping to convince you I would never do anything like that to anyone let alone you..”

Turning around, he makes his way toward the door, prepared to exit, “now it doesn’t matter what you believe, because I’d never want to be with anyone who would believe I’m capable of this, anyone that’ll believe this of me is not someone I need in my life.” 

Zoey looks at him, somberly without uttering a word...

“Congratulations Zoey, you don’t have cash and I can say with certainty, you don’t have me!” With that, he exits the apartment.

“Danggg, that was rough...” Skye says as they all made their way out of Anna’s bedroom.

“Not that anyone cares, but I believe him.” Jazz says as they all sit around the living room, discussing everything that just happened and everything that lead to it.


	11. Chapter 11

“Wow! All that was happening and we had no idea?” .... the girls had been up all morning into the afternoon, talking all things Zoey and what sky deemed “her disaster of a love live.”

“Well it’s over now, and I have no idea how I got here.” Zoey says, regret written all over her face.

“Do you love him?” Nomi asks out of the blue

“Who?”

“Luca, do you love him?” 

“What kind of question is that?”

“A good one.” Jazz adds

“Well we all know how you feel about Cash, it’s been no secret, we also know that you and Cash apparently had a deal, right?” Nomi continues..

“Keep talking..”

“My thing is, unless you fell in love with Luca, Cash technically has no right be upset.” Nomi concludes, looking at each of them for corroboration...

“Hmm, Zo she might have a point,” Anna chimes in, “I mean Cash hasn’t exactly been a saint,”

“Definitely not! That dude’s been fucking major babes.”

“Sky!”

“What?! We all about to pretend I’m not spitting hundred percent facts?”

“Sure you right,” Jazz agrees.

“Okay, back to my point,” Nomi continues, “if you didn’t break the rules by catching REAL feelings, then this is still resolvable with you two.”

“Girl did you not see his messages?” Jazz asks bewildered

“I still can’t believe she and luca’s been getting it in this whole time and we had no idea.” Sky shakes her head.

Nomi sighs frustratedly at their interruptions, “Yeah I saw the messages, but Zo I think he’s just lashing out because Luca’s someone close to home. If he can be reassured, that what you have with Luca is not a major thing, then this is all still resolvable.” 

Nomi grabs on to Zoey’s hand, “so, I ask again, are you or are you not, in love with Luca?”

With a deep sigh, Zoey whispers.. “It’s not that simple.”

“Yes, it actually is Zo, it’s either you are or you’re not..” Anna interrupts 

“It’s not that simple because in this moment, I’m so angry, that no, I don’t love him and I never want to deal with him ever again, especially after what he did.” 

“So, no benefit of the doubt?..” 

“Benefit of what doubt? Nomi, only he could have logically pulled that off...” 

“Oh so we really choosing not to believe him?” Jazz asks, puzzled.

Zoey gets up from their shared sofa and starts slowly pacing back and forth, “BUT, last night, I honestly knew I was and would be forever in love with Luca Hall.” She admits emotionally, a single tear rolls down her cheek. 

“Aww poor baby.” Anna stands up to gives her a tight hug.

“So I guess things aren’t resolvable then...?” Nomi says awkwardly with a shrug.

“No, it’s not because Cash isn’t exactly far off about that.” She sniffs and wipes away the lone tear, “I just regret that I let Luca in deep enough to ruin everything.”

“I don’t want to say I told you so but,”

“Ana, next time you don’t want to say ‘I told you so’, try really hard and don’t!” Jazz interrupts 

“Yeah, keep it locked, we’d all really appreciate it” the girls all share a hearty chuckle, going back and forth before the heavy knock on the front door interrupts them.

Sky dashes toward the door, inquiring loudly, “who is it?”

“It’s Cash, ...open up!”

*****  
“Woah...” they all immediately get up and cleared into Ana’s room, leaving Zoey alone.

“You got this girl” was all Zoey heard as she swings the front door open.

“Hey.” Zoey greets softly, uncertain as to how to act 

“Hey, ....May I please come in?”

“Of course,” Zoey says softly as she moves aside to let him in, relieved and confused by his visit.

“I’m sorry.”

“I don’t understand, why are you sorry?” Zoey responds, even more confused.

“I think I let my emotions get the best of me,” he takes half a step away from her. “I did something I’m not exactly proud of, I reacted before thinking and I apologize.”

Sensing her confusion from the animated expression on her face, he continues. “I was going through my phone again and I was out of line for some of the things I wrote to you.”

“No, ... I mean you have every right to be upset.”

“I’m not saying sorry for being upset, don’t get me wrong, because I am still furious Zoey..”

Zoey lowers her head remorsefully, “Okayyyy... so you flew all the way back out here to tell me you’re sorry but you’re still upset?” 

“I never left.” He carefully takes another step back.

“What do you mean you never left?” 

“It means, I never got on the plane last week.”

She looks up confused, “I saw you to the airport, you got on a fucking plane, I need you to explain to me how it’s possible you never left town and not only did you not tell me, but why you made me believe you did!” Feeling anger building up...

“Okay don’t yell at me, you don’t have any moral ground to stand on right now,” he straightens up feeling his own upset resurfacing, “I never left town because I got a tip from someone that you had been messing around with that homeless looking dude.” He says with disdain in his voice. 

She huffs in disbelieve, “Wait a minute, Cash when did you become this guy, this person who lies and sneaks around and...”

“No no, you don’t get to turn this around on me,”

“I’m not but I’m sorry, when you find out your boyfriend has been lying and plotting shit behind your back, you wonder.”

“I’m not your boyfriend,”

“you know what I meant!” She huffs 

“It goes both ways Zoey, I trusted you! With all of my heart, I had every right to know if what I heard was true, shits been off for a while. My fucking mind wondered too!”

“Okay, your mind wondered,... you got a tip, and started plotting.” She sighs, “With who?”

“You don’t need to worry about that, I got a tip, I didn’t want to accuse you wrongly or prematurely, so I followed through to know for sure if you had been lying to me,” this time, he takes a step forward, looking at her accusingly, “and Zoey you had been.” 

She lowers her head shamefully, “so you snuck around for a whole week? I don’t know what to say to that.”

“That’s because you know you fucked up.”

“you’re right, I have been lying to you and I will always be sorry for that,” with a deep breath she continues, “but you had no right, to have me followed.”

“And that’s why I came here.” Genuinely sorry, he continues, “I could have just asked you, but Zoey you broke us.”

“I broke us?”

“Yes you did!” Exasperated he continues.. “the moment you chose one of your closest friends as a fuck buddy, you ruined us.”

“I never broke any rules, and I’m sorry it’s not as easy for me to fuck some random dude off the street, ...”

“Exactly, I know you Zoey, like it or not, I know you and that’s why I know this means something to you.” 

“I never broke any rules..” she whispers shakily

“Okay so you don’t have feelings for dude? you can honestly tell me that all you had with that fool was just sex with your whole heart?”

“I.... I don’t...” fumbling with her words

“Exactly.”

“Look that is neither here nor there, you’ve made it pretty clear you want nothing to do with me anymore.”

“Don’t get defensive cause you fucked up!”

“Stop saying I fucked up!” fully upset she breaks, “because the truth is, if I was the love of your life it would never have been easy to fuck around with other girls Cash.”

“Fuck around Zoey, I didn’t catch feelings!” 

“The real truth here is how toxic this all is! I cannot believe, I’m just now realizing this.” She moves close, “all because I wanted to secure a certain lifestyle, I let myself agree to something so vile and inappropriate.”

“I suggested a break,”

“No, you suggested what was best for your dick! and I’m sober now.” She sighs, relieved.

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying I can’t be with someone that’ll have me followed instead of talking to me, someone that’ll plot something so big while lying to me, someone that can’t trust me, with good reason of course but I certainly can’t trust you either.”

With shoulders slumped, Cash moves back, “so what does this all mean?”

“I think we both know.” Finally resigned to the end of their relationship, she sits down on their plush sofa, “You were right, we have to be over. This is a shit relationship, I deserve the kind of devotion you can’t give me right now and you deserve someone that’s all about you.”

“So, this is it?”

“It has to be.” With a thin smile she says, “I don’t know what this means to you, or if it means anything at all, but I want you to know I’ll always care about you. Always, that’ll never change.”

“Ditto.”

They sit silently across from each other, both taking deep slow breaths, releasing the other from the heavy weight of their ended relationship.


	12. Chapter 12

“So, do you want to talk about it?"

"Talk about what, Ana? There's nothing to talk about."

"Of course there isn't. Which is why we've been walking the whole mall for hours and you’ve barely said a word or bought anything."

Zoey sighs.

“There’s definitely nothing unusual about Zoey Johnson in the fashion district for hours spending exactly zero dollars”

“I don’t know what you mean.” Zoey continues swimming in the pool of her denial.

“Yes you do, something is bothering you and unless you unload on me, I’m afraid my legs will probably give out in this mall.” Ana pauses, raising one of her foot in discomfort. “Is there such a thing as over walking? because my feet is killing me.”

Zoey rolls her eyes. "I told you to wear comfortable shoes Ana."

"Well, you told me to come out for some retail therapy with you, yet; we have neither purchased anything nor said much. So unless you're trying to get me to dump you here and head back home alone, start talking.”

"Ana, I don't think I can. I can’t even find the words to describe how much I messed up."

"Let me guess, this is about Luca, right?"

She looked over in her direction, their eyes meet in silent understanding. 

Zoey nods pitifully, “yes”

"Now we’re getting somewhere! See how easy that was?” She playfully teases to lighten the mood. “So how are things with you guys?”

"Awful. Terrible. Couldn't be worse." Zoey pulls them over to the nearest empty bench to sit and chat. 

“Ana, for the first time ever, I actually have no idea how to approach him, like I’m seriously scared to, but I want to so bad!”

“So go talk to him, it’s Luca.” She teases jokingly.

“It’s not that simple, after the way we left things the last time we spoke, I’m almost certain I’m the last person he wants to acknowledge.”

“I get that, but you guys still have unresolved issues, clearly. You guys have to talk, plus Luca’s a pretty reasonable dude, I’m sure he’ll listen.”

“Every time I attempted to the last couple of weeks, I flaked out,” She sighs, feeling tired. “So I called, and nothing! ..I messed up and I know that but I want to talk to him so bad!” She whispers the last part, “I miss him.”

“So find him and tell him exactly how you feel Zoey, tell him what you just told me. Heck, text it! before it’s too late.”

Zoey squints at Ana, questionably. “What do you mean ‘before it’s too late’?”

“Oh shit ... I said too much..”

“What’s going on Ana?” Zoey asks sternly.

“Luca’s leaving.”

“What do you mean he’s leaving? leaving where? The dorms? the school, the state, the country? ... where?” she says as she feels herself entering panic mode.

“I don’t have the details, the last I heard from Nomi yesterday, he’s leaving and that’s all I know.”

“Wait a fucking minute, you all knew he was leaving yesterday and no one thought to tell me anything? That’s bullshit!”

“Zoey no one thought you wanted that information, you said you wanted nothing to do with him!”

“I know what I said! But you guys should know me better than that, you should know what I meant.” Zoey stomps her foot frustratedly, “I don’t want him to leave.” Her eyes getting misty.

“I’m sorry” Anna says softly, “we can’t read your mind though.”

"I know...” she sighs, resigned. “So back to New York he goes, then?"

"Like I said before Zo, I know very little details, but I’m pretty sure his motto right now is ‘anywhere but here’.”

"That bad, huh?"

"It is that bad."

“When exactly does he leave?”

“I’m not sure, I’m guessing tomorrow but let me confirm that with Nomi really quickly.” Anna reaches for her phone, texting Nomi. “She should know.”

They get up to resume their walk, and then Zoey stopped. It took Anna a moment to realize she was standing still behind her, she doubles back.

"Zoey.."

"What's wrong with me, Ana? I had this good thing happening and not only did I refuse to embrace it, I let myself destroy it on the basis of bullshit." She shuts her eyes tightly as fresh tears threatens to fall. 

“Don’t blame yourself, it usually takes two Zo...”

“You don’t understand, he was so hurt the last time we talked, things will never be the same, ever!” 

“I know it’s your usual lane, but don’t be so dramatic,”

“I’m being serious, he wouldn’t give up letting me know how much he wanted me, he told me he loved me, and I said nothing! ..after everything I accused him of, he’d have every right not to want anything to do with someone so toxic.”

“Give yourself a break, you’re a lot of things, but you’re not toxic. You’re a girl that got caught in a confusing situation, maybe you handled it poorly, but I’m sure you meant well.”

“I tried calling him a few times, he refused to pick up my calls, he’s not ready to let this go and I don't know if he ever will."

"Zoey, that's ridiculous. Listen, I’m no expert on the human emotions or anything but I do have eyes and the short time I experienced you two together is all I can go by but I haven't seen Luca look at anyone the way he looks at you.” 

Anna sighs, hoping she’s getting through, “that kind of feelings doesn’t disappear over night.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes. Look, at this point, it’s on you and that means you have to take some initiative. If you want to be with him, go to him, let him know how you feel, make him understand you have no intention of letting him go and this time will be different.”

A loud bing from Anna’s phone interrupts the moment. “That’s Nomi.”

“What’d she say?”

“Woah! ... he’s leaving tonight! As in he’s on his way out as we speak.”

“What?!!”

“Yeah, Nomi and Vivek are seeing him off to some private airfield right now.” 

As if on cue, the moment they step out onto the parking lot, a loud thunderous sound from the skies announces a thunderstorm brewing.

“I have to go to him! Get me his traveling details, right now! please!” Zoey says as she desperately reaches for her car keys in her purse.

“Okay okay, I’m asking Nomi now!”

Zoey and Anna both rush into the car, she zooms out. 

*****  
Luca sits, lounging lazily in the back of the stretch limo ~courtesy of his grandfather~ assigned to take him to their family’s privately owned airfield. 

Two of his closest friends, Nomi and Vivek sit across from him enjoying all the perks of traveling “in style” according to Vivek. 

Chocolate covered fruits, the finest champagnes and wines at their disposal. 

Luca laughs internally at their antics, grateful for their presence because it’s the only thing keeping him sane at the moment. Dreading the journey ahead but fully believing this is exactly what he needs.

A loud ringing sound snaps him back to attention, “Nomi please control your phone, shit’s distracting as hell.”

With her mouth full, Nomi rolls her eyes, “I think that’s your phone buddy.”

“Oh!” He rummages through his back pack for his phone, it’s his grandfather. He picks up, “hello grandfather.” 

Vivek’s eyebrows rose up, surprised at Luca’s sudden change in speech pattern and demeanor while talking to his grandfather. “Why my boy sound all prim and proper all of a sudden?”

“Shhh!... he’s on the phone idiot!” Nomi chastises.

Luca in his own world, barely paid attention to them. His mind miles away from everyone but the one who is actually responsible for the constant unrelenting painful tug at his heart.

“What's on your mind, son?" He hears faintly on the other end of the phone.

Over the last few weeks, Luca had been gradually and slowly rebuilding his relationship with his grandfather, and in the mist of everything that’s gone wrong in his life lately, he appreciated something seemingly going right. 

His grandfather was getting older and frailer everyday, Luca didn’t want to regret losing this opportunity to actually get to know him on a more honest level. He seems to be trying, willing to accept and help nourish Luca’s goals and dreams. 

Luca appreciates his efforts and have enjoyed opening up to him lately. Today, however, he didn't want to talk. “Nothing sir”, he responds.

"Something's going on. You've been irritated every morning this week. Son, I want this couple of weeks away for us to be beneficial for us both, but it can only go smoothly if you continue to open up, meet me half way."

"There's a lot going on, okay? I’m simply reflecting grandfather... and I know this two weeks away at the mountains for detoxing will be great but if you don’t mind, I’d like to keep my current thoughts to myself."

"But you seem upset. Are you upset I invited your father to tag along?”

“I have no problems with dad tagging along, just, ...Grandfather please..”

“Then you leave me no choice but to assume this is about that young lady you’ve been telling me about.... what’s her name again?” 

"Her name is Zoey." Luca says breathlessly, “Again, I will really appreciate not being badgered about this any further.”

"Very well then, I'll talk to you when you get here, I hope Robert arranged the transportation to your liking?”

"It’s just fine Grandfather, I’ll see you when we land at the compound sir.” He hangs up with a heavy sigh.

Nomi’s phone began buzzing repeatedly again, she tries to free her hand from her stuffed tray of food to answer it. 

“Okay wussup with the over buzz Noms?” Vivek asks through hazy vision, while refilling his champagne flute. 

“Sorry, it’s Anna, she keeps texting me.”

“What does my foxy queen need?”

“Nothing that concerns you that’s for sure.” Nomi says before focusing her sights on a stoic Luca. “Hey bud, you okay?”

“I’m fine, just wondering what you two are going through.” He chuckles lightly.

“It’ll all makes sense in a bit. Are we almost there?”

“I don’t know let me check,” Luca reaches for the call button, “yo Rob?”

“Yes sir,”

“Once again, it’s Luca, please,” Luca fondly tells the elderly man on the other side of the partition.

“No problem.” He smiles, “what can I help you with Luca?”

“How much longer until we arrive at the airfield?”

“Less than 10 minutes.”

“Great, thanks.” He turns of the communication button, “there you go.”

“Great!” Nomi bounces excitedly.

*****  
The stretch limousine pulls into the huge air field, with Robert overhead announcing their arrival. 

Luca looks out the window, the sky darkly grey and cloudy, letting him know the rain is about to pour down heavily. He felt the loud thud of the thunder.

“We’re here guys,” Luca alerts his distracted friends. “I really appreciate you being here for the kid.”

“Of course,” Nomi says reaching over for a quick hug. “We’ll keep in touch.”

“Definitely man, we love you.” It was Vivek’s turn for their bro hug.

“Cool cool, Rob will make sure you get back safely to Cal U.” With that he exits the vehicle. 

With his luggages unloaded from the vehicle into the private plane awaiting him, Luca threads sluggishly towards it. The feeling of leaving his heartbeat behind overwhelming him.

Luca turns around one last time, staring out at the stretch vehicle driving off into the distance, missing his friends already, he sighs heavily. 

He attempted to turn in when he noticed the limo slowing way down as a very familiar vehicle zooms crazily pass it into the field. No it can’t be... “What the..”

Zoey zooms into the field, disregarding the security’s stop signal at the wired gate entrance, desperately trying to reach Luca before boarding his plane. 

She parks, leaving Anna in the car as she dashes towards him. The assigned security ran after her, blowing his whistle in hopes for back up, Luca signaled him to stop from a distance allowing Zoey the freedom to approach him.

“Luca!” She screams as if he weren’t standing unmoving in his current position, shaken. 

His heart literally slams against his chest at the sound of her voice, feels like forever since he last heard it. He immediately remembers her scent. Her taste. Her smile. He takes a breath ~a deep and careful one... he remains quiet.

She walks hurriedly and unsteadily toward him, nervous, she asks “How are you?” Awkwardly...

“I’m good, but then you already knew that,” he remains stoic.

The brave smile on her face drops as she continues her awkward attempt at small talk. “I tried to call you,” silence... “a few times actually.” 

Confused and bewildered, Luka drops his back pack at the top of the step, he moves cautiously down the steps toward her. Short of a few feet from each other, he asks “what are you doing here?”

Through shaky breath she responds, “I found out you were leaving and had to talk to you.” Wanting desperately to get close to him, “why are you leaving?” She asks, softly.

“You lost all rights to ask me any questions.” He answers, upset.

Finally close enough to feel each other’s energy, her breathing hitches, the sight of him making her heart beat faster. 

“Luca, I know you’re upset, and you have every right to be, accusing you of what I did was lame but is that any reason to leave?”

“You would assume I’m leaving because of you, still the same old vain Zoey.” He says sarcastically. 

“Where I’m going and what I do, has never been any concern of yours, let’s not pretend it is now.”

“You’re upset, I get that, I deserve it but I’m right here, standing in front of you, sincerely sorry, ready and willing to admit to my fault in all of this.” 

She feels tears welling up in her eyes. “I am so sorry! Luca, I have never been so sorry, I swear on everything, you are all I want and most importantly, need.”

“whatever we were is done, I meant what I said. I want nothing to do with you!” He leans back ready to return to the awaiting plane. “Fire gesture and all chief but it means nothing to me.” He concludes as he stubbornly fights all the natural urge within him willing him to pull her fiercely into his arms. He turns away...

Zoey quickly moves closer to him, grabbing on to his arm before he could move further away, “I know I hurt you, and I know not trusting you was messed up, but I refuse to let you destroy everything you’ve built for yourself by walking away, especially if it’s because of me.”

Feeling her presence tugging at all the emotional strings in his body, he turns back around, bringing their faces close. 

“I know you love me, I know you do.” She whispers sweetly with emotions reflected deeply in her eyes.

“What do you want from me, Zoey?” That came out a lot more vulnerable than he intended it to. 

“I want you to stay.” She says just as softly, with tears threatening to wash down her face. 

As if on cue, the loud crashing sound of the thunderstorm rained over them. Simultaneously, they both look up.. light rain drizzling softly down their faces.

Luca involuntarily moves closer, as Zoey tightly grasps his shoulder to turn him fully to her. “This is a game to you,” he states, his eyes skimming her face vulnerably. 

“I wouldn’t almost run down several cars on the way here and zoom crazily pass security if I weren’t so deadass, seriously in love with you.” The rain starts pouring a bit heavier as they look deeply into each other’s eyes.

Luca hates the awareness he has for her. His entire body tingles and his skin feels scorched where her hands pressed into his arm with gentle familiarity. It didn’t occur to him to mind the rain.

He had wanted to make her suffer but in this moment he wants nothing more than to kiss her. He wants it bad! “I wanna quit you so bad” he says in a low husky tone.

She inhales a sharp breath, the intensity of his gaze making her feel like an electrical current is racing through her body. 

she reaches up, caressing his face gently, the anger in his eyes melting, instantly flashing into desire. 

“I wanna quit me too sometimes.” She says, half joking, plenty adorable, as the rain poured down harder, soaking them.

He reaches up to her face, gently moving a lone wet curl from the corner of her left eye, pulling it back as his fingers caress the rest of her drenched curls. 

“Damn it,” he whispered as his head lowers to hers. 

She gasped at the feel of his lips on hers, her other hand rose up, stroking his body through his prim and tailored suit with the custom “Hall” stitched onto it in cursive writing.

Heavy rain. Strong back. Broad shoulders. Wet kisses. The softness of his moist Locs against her fingertips as she caresses the back of his head in a force of habit, his tongue heatedly captures her own with a proprietary feel. She was completely lost in the moment. 

“No!” Luca snaps, as his lips abruptly left hers, falling back. 

“Luca ..” She says breathlessly

“No, Zoey! No.” The reality of the moment settling in, “I can’t do this, I need to go, I just do. My grandfather is expecting me.”

She gulps, catching her breath.. “Your grandfather? The same ..”

“Yes Zoey, the same one.” He looks at her defensively.

“Luca you worked so hard to get away from these people, you told me so yourself.”

“Those people, are my family. They would never condemn me and they love me, so don’t judge them.”

“I’m not Luca,” desperately pleading with him with her eyes, “but I remember how much it meant to you to be your own person.”

“Well you’re the one who’s always cared about money,” he smirks insensitively, “you want me back? it should make you happy I’m going back to them. Grandfather has loads of it.” 

Offended, she retaliates. “I have never asked you to be anything than you are.” 

“No, I just wasn’t good enough because I wasn’t rolling in cash.” 

The pun not escaping her, she sighs, resigned as the rain continues to pour down heavily on them. 

“I gotta go.” With a heavy heart, he turned around and stepped into the plane without looking back.

“Luca!” Zoey calls out as he disappears into the plane, the heavy rain diluting her tears into disappearance.

“Ma’am, we’re ready for lift off, I’m sorry you must evacuate the premises.” Zoey hears faintly through the feeling of her heart breaking and the commotion around her.

“Common Zo,” looking just as heartbroken, Nomi appears behind her, wrapping a rain coat around her. 

Zoey remains unmoving, “Anna had to drive your car at the security dude’s request. You can ride with us.”

Concerned by Zoey’s current state, Nomi tugged and dragged her a bit forward, “...Let’s go home.”

“Okay.” Zoey finally says quietly as she lets herself be pulled away, looking back the entire time in hopes that he’d come back out to revive her heartbeat. He never did....


	13. Chapter 13

Still shaky from being soaked by the pouring rain, Luca makes his way to his seat in a trance. 

Half in disbelief that he was capable of walking away from the love of his life and half in desperate need for take off. Otherwise, he might just run back out there to her. 

He couldn’t shake the annoying voice in his head telling him this trip was what he needed. He needs to get away from her, Zoey Johnson is just too damn exhausting. 

“Sir would you fancy a warm towel? Or a change of clothes?” Corrine, the attentive stewardess asks him kindly.

“A change of clothes would be appreciated after take off, but for now, I’d appreciate a warm towel. Thank you.” 

“Right away sir,” 

Before Luca knew it, and long after Corrine returned with his warm towel, the plane was ready for take off. 

Announcement overhead from ‘Pilot Phil’ lets him know the importance of being “strapped” to his seat. 

"Not the best flying weather," he continued overhead, "but at least we're going to beat the storm."

Luca pushed the intercom button next to him in an attempt to reach out to Phil. “How long will we be up in the air?"

"Not long enough," he teased. “Are you alright man?”

A flash of the moment he just shared with Zoey before he got on the plane ran through his head, sending new chills all the way down his body, Luca instantly turned serious, as if a switch had gone off. “I don’t know man” he mumbles... 

“It definitely gets better, whatever it is.” Phil responded sympathetically, overhead.

“Hope so.” Luca leans all the way back in his chair with the all consuming and exhausting thought of Zoey weighing heavily on his mind. 

*I shouldn’t have walked away*, *you did the right thing!* the pesky voices in his head went back and forth.

Corrine watched him sympathetically from her seat as she braced herself for the takeoff...

“Here’s to hoping for a smooth flight.” Phil says, as the plane moved forward. Soon they were at cruising altitude. Luca finally exhales.

*****  
“What happened to her?” Jazz asks Nomi worriedly as she sees her walk a zombie like Zoey into the apartment.

“Hurricane Luca,” Nomi responds with a sad crinkle on her face. “It hit hard!”

“They really named it Luca?.. that’s crazy!” 

“It’s a figure of speech Sky.” Ana interrupts before helping Nomi put zombie Zoey in a chair.

“Zoey..” Jazz got close enough to look directly into her eyes, bending over. “Sweetie.. are you okay?” She says sympathetically.

“She’s obviously not.” Sky directs sassily at her sister. 

Zoey looks up, coming out of her trance slowly, tears threatening to spill out, she clears her throat before softly answering “he left.”

“Who left?”

“Luca, ...he ...he just left.” A single tear rolls down. “I can’t believe he left me.” She inaudibly chokes out.

With that, the girls all hurdle around Zoey, giving her a giant group hug. “We gotchu girl,” Jazz says, as she gently pats her back.

“Yeah, it’s gonna be okay.” Anna reassures.

Finding it difficult to believe those words, Zoey takes a deep and slow breath, closing her eyes, she let herself relax into the warmth of their embrace.

*****  
Before Luca knew it, Pilot Phil was talking to the control tower at the tiny resort airport, and they were landing. 

“Thank you Corrine, I appreciate the hospitality. I hope you guys fly back safely.” He says as he exits the plane. 

The snowflakes began to cascade down as he walks down the airport runway toward the awaiting car his grandfather sent in preparation for his arrival. 

“You’re welcome Sir, and we will be here a few more hours before heading back tonight. Safety precautions and all. Anyway, enjoy the ride home.” Corrine greets as she waves gracefully goodbye.

The driver opened the door of the limo. Luca slid in and came face-to-face with his father, Reginald ‘Reggie’ Hall. 

Surprised, Luca could only mutter a strongly irritated “Dad..” he clears his throat before correcting himself, “Captain.” He gives him a challenging and stern stare.

“Welcome home son,”

For Luca, the one comforting thing about being born to an old money family was that nothing was ever truly unexpected, Luca reflected quietly ~trying his hardest to ignore his father as they rode toward the family compound. 

Looking out the window as they drove down the long road home, many of their family owned properties came into view. One of his most cherished ones as a kid stood out the most.

This was one of the many, many properties that the Halls still owned, he smiles as the memories of childhood fun times flashed through his mind. Then turned somber when the not so pleasant ones came up as well.

“Son, you can’t ignore me forever.” His father says somberly as he reaches for a glass to pour his water in. 

“No offense Captain, but can we make this a cordial and peaceful ride by not talking?” He says, sarcastically.

“Son I’m trying here,”

“A little too late for that.” Luca mumbles under his breath.

“Please son, give me a chance to get this whole talking to you thing right. While it’s still just you and me.” He continues as he fills his glass cup full of water.

“Unfortunately for you, I’m not interested in talking...”

Luca kept his focus on the ongoing view, the fact that all his father is drinking is water not going unnoticed by him. Still, he’d Rather watch as more and more properties that they owned and many more that had been sold off during previous years, decades, centuries...according to the stories his father told him growing up during their many visits as a kid~ came into view.

“Son?.... Son?” With no response from Luca, the ‘captain’ finally goes silence. Staring intensely at his son, who was staring at anything but him. 

*****  
When they pulled up to the compound, Luca’s grandfather along with his several extended family members stood assembled in the foyer to welcome him.

All the aunts and uncles and cousins from the lesser branches of the Hall family tree, rich and accomplished in their own right, although most not as powerful or prominent as the branch that Luca hailed from, waved from afar. 

“Um... what’s with all the people?..” Luca wearily asks his father as they move slowly toward the huge mansion.

“Father informed me you were aware we’d all be here.”

“No, this was suppose to be a one on one trip with just me and grandfather, to give us the chance to bond anew.” 

Luca sighs, exasperated, “Shit! That was his exact words.”

“Watch your language son!” 

“This is what he does! He disregards everyone else’s feelings and wants. I thought he got better but it’s on me that I believed him for a second!”

“Luca relax on the theatrics please!”

“This is what this family does to me. I don’t appreciate the ambush...”

“So just nod along and be the gentleman you were raised and groomed to be. You know your grandfather.”

Luca stops dead in his tracks, he turns to face his father angrily, “it never ends with you does it? You can never just be you because you are still and forever will be indebted to grandfathers checkbook!” He exclaims.

Looking around with a planted ingenue smile on his face as to not alarm their onlookers, Reginald calmly grabs Luca by his shoulders, “Son, this instant is not the time to rehash our unpleasant history, I promise to talk it all out with you whenever you’re ready when we are alone.”

Luca tries to shrug him off angrily, but his father was stronger. He grabs a hold of his face, “ALONE!” 

He exclaims in a tone Luca knows all too well, the tone that always let’s Luca know ‘The captain’ means business. “Now act like you know boy!”

Luca gives in reluctantly, “Fine, we’ll do this your way.” He says, before shrugging free from his father’s arms, moving much more swiftly towards his grandfather. 

*****  
Luca made his way down the long driveway to their awaiting family members. Most of whom were living, breathing American royalty. And of course, standing in the middle of them all was his ever commanding patriarch, Grandfather Reginald Hall Sr. 

“Luca my boy,” His grandfather greets Luca proudly with a heavy pat on his back as Luca finally reached him. 

Luca plays his part, he demonstrated his well groomed upbringing as the polite and well mannered grandson of the Hall family’s Hero. 

“Hello Grandfather.” Luca gives him a gentle smile and a tight hug.

“Welcome home, it’s so good to see you Luca.” 

Luca turns around from his grandfather’s hug to come face-to-face with the snooty extended family he’s only interacted with from afar his whole adult life, but interacted with plenty as a kid. Roy and Martha Hall.

“Same.” Luca said with a short smile. His eyes saying more than his mouth ever could. Roy’s were coolly indifferent while Martha’s shot daggers. 

Luca’s expression went back to nonchalant, challenging, daring either of them to say anything untoward... they knew better and stayed silent. Luca greeted the rest of their family members. 

Dinner was relatively uneventful, with all the reasons why he stayed away flashing back into his mind. 

The entire gathering felt like it was more of an interview where everyone talked about their accomplishments and pastimes instead of having regular fun family chatter. It all felt so impersonal and foreign to him now.

Everything he lived by and knew before moving out to Cal U and meeting Zoey, feels completely out of his element. 

‘What have you done to your hair?’, ...’how is law school?’... I guess the lies continue, he thought to himself. He was fed up completely.

He couldn’t wait to step away from it all, he needed a smoke, bad! ‘Gah I miss Zoey!’ He had no idea where that thought came from but in that moment, he realized it was true. 

His grandfather pulled him into his huge study, leaving them alone since his arrival about an hour prior. “The Storm is really coming in hard.” He said casually. "It's going to be a rough winter."

"Seems that way," Luca replied.

"How was the flight over?" He reaches for the bottle of his best brandy. “Drink?”

"The flight was perfect," Luca said. "It couldn’t have gone smoother, Phil’s great at his job." 

Luca moves closer to the huge desk his Grandfather was currently standing in front of. “I know it’s impolite to decline one but no, I do not want a drink.”

“Very well then, what’s bothering you?”

“I hadn’t complained...”

“Your father did his best to conceal your aggression but you forget, I am a very observant man.” With raised brows he concluded. “Besides, your poker face is abysmal.”

Luca’s tone was calm, without even the slightest hint of anger. Yet, he could feel every inch of him boiling. “I wasn’t expecting so many people grandfather,” he snorts sarcastically, “in fact, I expected to see only you.”

“I did inform you of your father’s presence.” He responded casually.

“Yes, you did grandfather but you only told me about Dad!” 

“Alright, if you knew about your father, what’s the problem with the rest of them being here?”

“You’re unbelievable.” Luca sighs, exasperated.

“Watch your tone with me young man.”

Luca recoils, feeling himself being sucked back into the requiem that is his family’s past. He was never allowed to emote, he wasn’t allowed to get upset or want the things he wanted exactly how he wanted them. Made him the recluse he’s been the majority of his life. 

As they would drill into their heads as kids, ‘Such was the way of the global elite. It was very new money to show your emotions as if you were a cheap reality television star.’

“Zoey was right, I can’t believe I let my pride get in the way of my senses.” He shakes his head wistfully, “I never should have gotten on that plane.” His voice full of regret.

“Come off it, anyone who will try to turn you against your family is no one you should entertain.”

“You’re wrong old man, she loves me!” He pulled his perfectly in place tie apart. Freeing himself and unbuttoning his shirt. 

“How unbecoming! Pull yourself back together this instant.”

“This is who I am now old man, I hate your ties and the shit jackets, there’s nothing fire about them. Take me the way I am or leave it.” Luca moves closer to him with a challenging gaze, “or you can always just send me back if you can’t stand it.” 

“My goodness, all this because a few other family members joined us? What is the matter with you!”

“No, what is wrong with you!”

“Your tone young man.”

“Fuck the tone! What happened to you between the last few weeks of getting back to a good place and me getting here? What the hell changed?”

“I know this is you demonstrating another one of your juvenile temper tantrums but you will respect with whom you are speaking.”

Feeling hurt, Luca explains. “I’m just wondering if you brought me out here because you really meant everything you said or because you were willing to manipulate me to get me in the same room with you.”

“Do whatever it takes, I thought your father that. I’m surprised he didn’t teach you the same tactic.”

“You are truly deformed, and I’m off this.” Luca shakes his head in disgust, ready to walk out of the room.

“What is going on in here?” The captain opens the door letting himself in the room before closing it back up.

“Talk to your son!”

“Okay I’m going to need you both to fall all the way back alright? All this is just really starting to affect my higher spirit and I’m off it.”

Confused, the captain tries again. This time, he gently asks Luca. “Son, What happened?”

*****  
“Zoey Noooooo!” Nomi exclaimed as she hurriedly swaps Zoey’s phone out of her hands while circling the room with it in the air.

“Nomi!! Give it backkkk” Zoey whines 

“OMG girls! Pull yourselves together!” Sky yells from the other side of the kitchen counter where she stands making a sandwich.

“What is going on in here, what’s with all the noise?” Anna interjects as she steps out of her room.

“Zoey’s out here tripping.” 

“I am not tripping Jazz!” Zoey snaps, “all I want to do is call him and let him know how much I love him!”

“See?” Jazz says facing Ana.

“Aww, poor baby.” Anna says sympathetically as she makes her way towards Zoey for a sweet hug.

“Poor baby? My arm is giving out on me trying to keep her from making yet anymore fool of herself tonight.” Nomi says, aggravated.

“What?! I think it’s sweet. She loves him, what’s wrong with her expressing that?” Anna asks, confused.

“Girl what is right with her calling him and making another fool of herself with that boy tonight?” Jazz asks 

“Actually, I kinda agree with Ana.” Sky shrugs casually

“You what?”

“I said I kinda agree with Ana.” She shrugs again walking out of the kitchen with her freshly made sandwich. “I don’t know about ya’ll but the only thing worse than a whiny Zoey inlove is a whiny Zoey inlove but denying it to herself and to us.”

“Fair point.” Nomi says in sudden realization

“Look, we’ve had to watch her pretend this dude meant little to her for months!” Sky says as she takes her seat crossed legged on the big sofa. 

“Very convincingly by the way, I’m just happy I no longer have to sit back wondering what was off with them two anymore.. because my senses sure were tingling.”

“Exactly, we’re always getting on Zoey for being indecisive and selfish, how can we be upset she’s doing the opposite of that?” Ana asks, still confused 

“We can’t, but we can save what little dignity our friend has left after that whole tragic airport display.” Nomi says as she cringes on Zoey’s behalf.

“I wish ya’ll would stop talking about me like I’m not in the room.” Zoey finally interjects

“Look Zoey I’m just trying to help you save what little face you have left with that boy cause to be honest, on a scale of zero to Luca with Luca being the winner, we are currently at a big fat Luca.”

“Nomi, this is my life, it’s not some imaginative scale on some game show.” Zoey says sternly. 

She continues.. “I love him! And I’ve spent way too long denying that to him, to myself and to everyone to let another moment go by without letting him know how much.” 

With that distraction, Zoey smartly snags her phone back from Nomi’s hand. “If I have to call him every day, every minute, for however long for him to understand how I feel and how much that shits not going away, then news flash my dear friends, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

“So determined! That is so romantic guys.” 

“Shut the sappy up Ana, please.” Nomi reaches forward. “Zoe, are you sure about this?”

“I don’t care, I just don’t care! I love him and I just want to get that message across. I miss him so much already, I can’t imagine my life here without him in it.”

“That’s fair.”

“I just want him to come back home to me. I will never forgive myself if my actions lead him back into the lions den.”

“Lions den? Where is that at?”

“Sky please, it’s a figure of speech.”

“Oh, one of those. Hmm..” Sky says as she sassily rolls her eyes and neck, digging back into her sandwich.

“From what he told me, his family is literally poison and I’ve left him vulnerable enough to go back there.”

“Okay Zoe we can get on you for a lot of things and we will, but Luca’s actions are on him, not you.” Jazz says

“Yeah, you can’t burden yourself with that.”

“Oh I’m not, I know it’s not my fault his family is trash and I’m not responsible for Luca’s bad decisions. But when you love people the way that I know Luca loves me,” she chokes out a bit in regret, “well, loved me.” She sighs angrily at herself, “it should never be taken lightly or for granted.”

“I get that, but Zoe..” Nomi threads carefully, “no offense but it sounds more like you want him cause he wanted you type thing.”

“None taken, I mean I get why you’d feel that way, it’s my fault for toying with something so important for so long.” Zoey sits back on the love seat, “but it’s not about that though. Cause bad as it may have ended, I know Cash loves me, I know he truly does.”

“Okay...”

“So this isn’t about me wanting what I can’t have or selfishly want cause it makes me feel special or something. I have options, I can be with someone else that loves me if this were simply about craving love and attention.”

She sighs heavily again before continuing.. “This is more about the love I want and care about, the one person I want terribly in my life, by my side. Always.”

“That’s deep.” Jazz says

“Luca’s more than someone I can just have sex with ~great sex by the way~ or get my ego boosted from, he’s my friend, my confidant, and my person. All wrapped in one psychedelic mess of a human but he gets me, accepts me, all of me and I love him so much for that and many other uncountable little things that makes him everything to me.”

“That was beautiful and I’m dead inside, I don’t think anyone can talk you out of getting him back now.” Sky adds jokingly.

“It just sucks that it took me this long to realize it and it might be too late! That’s why I have to do everything I can to fix this.”

“Right there with ya Kid.”

At the sound of the voice booming in by the front door, the girls all turn around in shock. “What da...”


	14. Chapter 14

“What... how ...?”

Luca wiggles a key in the air, “you gave me an emergency key remember?”

“Aww, If this wasn’t such a sweet moment, we would be throwing hands about giving him and not us the extra house key Zoey, but in the spirit of love, we will postpone that conversation.” Jazz says in her special Jazz way.

“Okay, let’s just give the love birds some privacy shall we?” Ana waves her arms toward one of the bedrooms ushering the rest of the girls into it, leaving Luca and Zoey alone. 

Zoey, barely registering anything her girls were saying stood still, in complete shock, stunned by his presence. 

“Luca?” She whispers wearily and sweetly, unsure of the realness of the moment. Leaving her to wonder if she’s in a very strong state of illusion.

“I’m right here chief...” he responds with a smirk, reading her mind.

Before he could utter another word, she dashes toward him so fast, jumping straight into his arms. He receives her warmly, lifting her up as she wraps her legs tightly around him.

“I can’t believe you’re here.” She says tearfully, “wait, how much of what we were talking about did you hear?”

“Enough,”

“I meant every word, you know that right?” Still wrapped tightly around him, she pulls back. 

Her eyes searches his for his response before leaning her forehead against his tenderly.

“I know,” the smile on his face sugary sweet, matching hers.

“How did you make it back here so fast?” She says between sniffing back baby tears

“Let’s just say there’s a dope pilot who goes by the name Phil, who is deadass overdue for a hero badge.” He chuckles through her confused gaze. 

“It’s a long story, I promise I’ll fill you in later, but for now,” he pauses suggestively, “..about that great sex....” 

Before she could blink, his lips descends on hers fiercely ...and she was kissing him back with equal passion.

*****  
With one arm holding her up and the other tangled between her messy hair, he let out a soft groan as she started moving her lips against his. 

She clings on to him tighter, her whole body memorizing the moment. “Hmm...” she moans softly into his mouth, every sensor in her body on overdrive.

They need to talk, they needed to do so much more talking but that would definitely have to wait, she was too caught up in kissing him. 

"We're in the living room," she murmurs, “we should continue this there” She points toward her bedroom.

"Maybe we should continue this here.” He slurs between kisses on her neck. “There's a perfectly durable kitchen counter right here chief, I’m sure your friends won’t come out for a while..."

She giggles before moving her face back to look directly at him, “Yeah, no... that is not gonna happen dude.”

“Why not?... we’ve done it here before.” He licks his lips suggestively while wiggling his eyebrows playfully, “...and that was when we were still hiding.”

“It was also when I was sure the girls where no where near the house Luca.” She bit down on her bottom lip, actually contemplating his suggestion, “...nah, anyone can just walk in on us..”

“Not when they hear the sounds you’d be making they won’t.” His feline like smile grows wider, as he says half jokingly

....the loud buzz of his phone interrupts the moment, he distractedly tries to grab his phone while keeping her secure on his body.

She playfully swats his arm, “you are so wrong right now! plus, we’d be giving everyone a free show." She giggles,

He turns his phone off and returns his assault down on her neck, his breath tickling her collar bone. "I don't care."

"You should," she said through another short giggle, ...his phone interrupts again. This time, he tries to ignore it.

she grabs a handful of his dread, tilting his head back and looking directly into his eyes, "you need to get that.”

“Nah, it’s not important.”

“I saw dad on the screen before you shut it off,” with a knowing look, she continues.... 

“...and considering how sensitive you were about your family earlier at the airport, I get the feeling you need to not ignore that.”

“About that, You were right and ...”

“We’ll have plenty of time for you to specially beg for my forgiveness,” she smiles teasingly, poking at his nose gently, “Yeah, don’t think I forgot that.”

“Still the same you huh?” She nods cheerfully as he smiles and shakes his head at her in amazement. Enamored with her regular Zoey antics, he softly says “I missed you so bad.”

“Good, now go talk to your dad.. and don’t worry,” she whispers seductively, “we have all night..." she brings her head down to kiss him.

"All night? That sounds fire!”

“All nighttttt” She drags over his lips as she slides down his body.

“Promise? Cause I’m holding you to it.”

"I hope you do." With a sweet peck to her lips, he walks towards their balcony to make the call. She giddily walks the other direction towards the bedrooms. 

*****  
“Do you guys think it’s safe to go back out there?” Ana whines, “I need some snacks.”

“I wouldn’t go out there.” Nomi warns

“Why the hell not?!”

“Not unless ya’ll are trying to get a clear view of Zoey on Luca’s penis.”

“Sky!”

“What? Like ya’ll weren’t all thinking it?” She huffs, “I’m just keeping it real.” She concludes with a shrug. 

“Yeah but nobody said anything.” Ana sighs, “It’s called decorum,” 

“Call it what you want, I said what I said.”

“I just really need them to go in her room. Gosh!” Ana presses.

“Just go then,” Nomi says, annoyed 

“all I know is, those two freaks haven’t gotten the chance to get it on for a while and now they can. I’m not going in there.” 

“Sure you right sister, they are getting their freak on and ya’ll know what? I ain’t mad at it.” Sky shrugs before sitting back on the bed.

“Ana, you may go grab your snacks..” Zoey says, playfully pointing her toward the kitchen as she opens the door wide open. 

“Umm...” Ana hesitates

“No worries, the kitchen counter tops are safe, no bare asses were exposed to it, ....At least not today.” she laughs at the cringe expressions on all their faces. 

“We really need to set some house rules ...” Ana says as they all prepared to head back into the kitchen area

“You do that, but could you please direct my boo towards my room when he steps back in?” Zoey wiggles excitedly, “I gotta go set a mood... you know...” she wiggles her eyebrows suggestively at her friends 

“Oh lawd, I’m already missing the days of being in the dark about the adventures of Zoey and Luca’s sexcapades.” Jazz adds

“Well now ya’ll know,” Zoey moves towards her private bedroom. “Send my baby in here to me as soon as he steps back in please, it’s about to be on!”

“Get yours girl!” Sky says with a snap of her fingers, genuinely excited for her girl.

“Fair warning ladies, stay in at your own risk, but if the bed is squeaking too loudly, which it will be, don’t come knocking...” she shrugs as she closes her bedroom door with a mischievous smile on her face.

“Why do I get the feeling we were better off not knowing about those two...?” Nomi says as they all sighed.


	15. Chapter 15

“No dad! You deal with your old man, I don’t have to ever again.”

The captains voice streams lightly from the other end of the phone, trying to reason with his son. “Son, I know pops is a lot to deal with, no one knows that more than I do.”

Luca sighs, loosing patience. “Then you understand why I want nothing to do with him.”

“I do, I also know that he called you and tried to make amends. And as badly as he handled that, he’s never tried as much as he is with you now with anyone.”

“Dad stop defending him!”

“I’m not, Luca some things are just true.”

“I don’t want to deal with that old man, Nothing is sacred to him! His word mean nothing to me! and I don’t have to listen to you about him.”

Luca takes a deep breath, “I barely want to talk to you either.”

“you’re understandably upset but Luca I’m your father, I will make things right with us if it’s the last thing I do on earth.... and hate him or not, that ‘old man’ is family.”

“Thanks to you...”

“Look, who we’re biologically related to is not our choice.”

“Unfortunately... but staying related to them is a choice we fortunately get to make and I’m standing by mine.”

“No one is perfect son, not even you, the only thing we can do is try and I am trying. If you don’t meet me half way it’s fruitless.”

“Sorry I’m not ready to let you in so you can ease some guilt you’re carrying around, just to disappoint me again.” 

“Luca,...”

“No, no. You don’t get to make this my problem.” Luca leans over the rails for calm and balance, “trying and giving up is all you know how to do and I don’t have anymore time for you to waste.”

“This time is different.”

“Sure, because you never said that before.” 

“I know you’re upset,”

“No, I’m not tight about any of this shit dad, I’m one thousand percent over it. You want to make amends? Start with your wife, show her you’re a better man. Make her happy, then maybe there’s hope for you yet.”

“I’m taking it day by day but I have every intention of making it up to her. I am however able to try because she’s giving me a chance to.”

“Mom has always been too trusting and optimistic for her own good. But get this, I’m fried, and I deadass want to be off this, bad!”

“Fair enough, but we are not done with this. Stand your ground with your grandfather as much as you’d like, but I am not giving up on my relationship with you.”

“Whatever Dad, I just need to get back to my girl and I guess we can deal with all this later. Goodbye.” With a heavy heart, he hangs up the phone. 

Luca finished talking to father a little before two a.m.... his intended short phone call had turned into a two hour conversation.

Zoey in the meantime had ordered food, set the table full of several rich blends of vegan meals they both find edible and delicious, chilled some drinks that would be ready to pour as soon as he stepped back in. 

She sat laid back in her thinly veiled lace and silk blend robe waiting for Luca, after about an hour of waiting, she retreated into the bathroom. The evening grew long and she couldn't keep her eyes open.

*****

Luca steps back into the house and was immediately ambushed with instructions from the girls toward Zoey’s bedroom “Zoey’s boo, you may go straight into her bedroom now.” Ana says teasingly.

They all left the apartment in fits of giggles, leaving him standing there bewildered. He shrugs as he walks towards Zoey’s bedroom.

The room was dimly lit, his heart began to thump with anticipation as he turns on the light. This all felt so surreal and nerve wrecking, he can be with Zoey openly now, it’s all so new and exciting. 

The light snaps on and he didn't see her, his heart sank. Maybe she'd changed her mind? He didn't want to take anything for granted, this wouldn’t be the first time she changed her mind about their status or lack thereof.

Leaving the room, he tried the knob of the door toward her private balcony. It turned, but it was also empty.

Now Luca was starting to get worried. He knew she hadn't left the apartment, because there were only two exits, both in the living room. Where was she?

He glanced up and saw that the bathroom door was slightly ajar with light streaming around it. He realized he hadn't looked in the bathroom. Heading back toward it quickly, he pushed open the door.

What Luca saw was a treat he couldn't have dreamed up even in his wildest dreams. There was Zoey, in her bathtub, looking angelic while soaking amid a foamy cloud of lavender scented suds. Her eyes are closed, and he could tell she's dozed off.

He walks gently toward the tub, completely hypnotized... She opens her eyes before he reached her, blinked, and smiles softly.

"Everything alright? Did you work things out with your dad?"

"It’s fine,” The last thing on Luca’s mind being his dad, grandfather or anything else that doesn’t begin and end with Zoey Johnson. "You should have waited for me."

"I tried to but I kept falling asleep. Then I remembered a therapeutic way to wait... why don't you join me?"

She didn't have to tell him twice! He yanked off his shirt, undid his belt, let his pants fall to his ankles so he could step out of them. 

Zoey watched through downcast eyelashes as he got rid of his socks, then his hands went to his boxers... she gasps

He looks up abruptly when she makes that noise.  
"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I was just... admiring you, and remembering."

"Remembering the first time you saw me naked? That’s wild... but dope.” He smiles seductively as he walks over to the tub. "How long ago was that again?” He asks playfully, acting clueless.

"Well, it’s so old,” she plays along. “But from what I remember, you weren't half bad back then."

He hooked the waistband of his Belenciaga boxers, and dropped them. Her mouth gaped open dramatically, carrying on with their banter.

"Wowwww, come here to me big boy," she whispers as he got into the other end of the tub.

"Is that some type of acronym for 'thank you' or something?" he teased, finding her hands beneath the suds and taking them in his.

"No, it's Zoey speak for 'ridiculous.'” She laughs, before getting a bit serious. “You're kinda perfect. It's not fair, Luca."

“Nah Chief, I’m far from perfect.”

She was too far away, he realized. He came up on his knees, “Come here grandpa” he says half teasingly and so softly as he pulled her up so that she was pressed flush against him. 

Water cascaded down from her warmed-up skin, her usually big curls now relaxed from being soaked with water. She looks like a goddess.

“What's not fair, is..." he rasped, eyes downcast as he took in her naked chest for the first time in what felt like forever.

He lost his train of thought. It was impossible to remember what he was talking about. His hands immediately trailed upwards, skimming her sides, then reaching to cup her breasts.

.... “how beautiful you are.” They return to kissing with Zoey reveling in the fact that this was the first time since she’s known him she didn't actually have to hide how she felt about him. It was…freeing. 

After what feels like forever of suppressing her innermost desires for him, she could finally express them. The intensity of their kiss blocking all other thoughts from entering into her brain... she grabs on to him and presses on to him tighter.

Their kiss wasn't the slow, tender and electrifying type like it was earlier; this is fast but just as passionate and electrifying. 

She feels herself shake with longing as he kisses her again, and again. He feels it overwhelmingly too; this all encompassing heat. 

“You are so fucking fire..” he murmurs dazedly between kisses.

“Yeah?”

“I’m so deadass babe”

All she could do was loose herself in him too, she moans as one of his hands slid under the suds, trailing down her body, creating its own trail of fire. 

“What are you going to do to me?" she breathed, feeling like her heart might beat out of her chest.

"Everything," he says with silent determination, laying her back into the suds and covering her body with his.

"I think that's enough bath time Chief," he groaned, reaching to release the stopper, and letting the water out of the tub. “Time for bed?” He grabs her face and brought it back to his, so he could kiss her again.

"No!” She reaches over to stop him from letting the water out of the tub. “Here," she confirmed breathlessly between kisses. "I need you here."

*****  
She needed him now. She pulled away and looked at him, seeing the hungry way he was looking at her now, she couldn’t believe there was a time she thought her only choice was to suppress the way she felt about him. 

His hunger for her made her think that being with him like this here and now is definitely the better choice. He cupped her face and brought it back to his, so he could kiss her again.

She arched her back so he had a better angle to touch her and he couldn't resist sliding his index finger into her. She moved her fingers teasingly down in the lukewarm suds, lowering it on his body so she could stroke him. 

Their kisses grew more and more frantic as he slid yet another finger into her. Anymore of this mutual touching and he wasn't going to last much longer. 

She must have sensed it herself because she turned them around so he was now laid down on his back so she could straddle him. He felt her brush her heat against him slowly as she leaned forward, bringing them chest to chest and nose to nose.

Her nipples were taught peaks pressed against his chest. Her thighs were trembling from the effort of not sinking straight down on to his length. They were both breathing hard, and their eyes were locked as their foreheads rested against each other. 

Zoey didn't think she'd ever been more turned on than she was right now. She was so acutely aware of her surrounding, from the warmth of the soapy suds that surrounded them, to the sound of the water every time they moved their bodies in it, to the feel of his hands and the heavenly smell of lavender. 

She wouldn't ever forget this moment and that says a lot considering they’ve shared many unforgettable moments together. She was torn between wanting this moment of halt to last forever, and sliding completely down to ride him into oblivion and beyond. 

In the end he made the decision for her when he gripped her hips, “Zoey” came out in a raspy whisper, urging her to move.

She'd never heard him say her name like that; filled with so much raw need and desire, and lust. Actually, she has, ... It’s why she never could resist him. 

The rush of power she experiences from the way he says her name and reacts to her during private moments like these was heady, and dizzying. Sometimes even a mere “Chief ...” from his lips gets her blood pumping. He might know it too.

She bit her lip as she gave them what they both badly wanted as she lowered herself onto him, her right hand moving up to curl around his shoulder as she slid further down his length. 

The noise he made in the back of his throat, once she'd taken him the whole way inside her, caused her to clamp down on him.

"Fuck. Zoeyyyyy” 

Luca gripped her hips tightly as she began to roll it gently. She leans forwards, kissing him, she slips her tongue between his teeth as he opened his mouth to her. 

Kissing became more difficult, however; as she picked up speed. Keeping one hand firmly on her waist, Luca used the other to slide her relaxed curls off her shoulder, so he could lick her neck down to her bare shoulder. 

“I love you so fucking much Zoey.” He whispers somewhat aggressively into her ear as he spread kisses around it.

Zoey froze, the last few weeks have been full of so many colorful emotions, most of which were hurt and pain, but the love and the connection they shared right now was more powerful than anything else she’s ever experienced. 

“I love you too Luca, so much.” She whimpers loudly as she looks directly into his eyes, while continuing her ministrations on him. 

She was riding him so fast now, with water spilling all around them to the floor, ...she was so loud and carried on without a care in the world who might hear her. 

With one hand holding her down and placed firmly on her waist, his other hand skims her side all the way down her hips, then between her thighs to rub circles over her clit.

"Come for daddy.” He says, knowing that always made her cringe and laugh in the best way.

She giggles lightly knowing exactly what he was doing, but the intensity of the moment making the it anything but funny. 

“Stop it!” She whines as she playfully hits his shoulder through her moans and heavy breathing. Cringe as it may be, it was always effective. 

Her eyes locked with his for one short moment, and Luca felt his temperature rise even further as she held fast to his shoulders, threw her head back, and screamed out his name. 

Her scream made him spill immediately. They both reached the skies.

The bubbles and soap suds around them was now liquified. They stayed as they were for a long time afterward, breathing each other in...

Their breathing eventually evened and a light chill blew in. They both knew it was time to wash out of the tub. Luca released the stopper letting the water out. 

They stood up and Zoey’s legs felt like jelly. Luca held her against him, her head resting on his shoulder until she could find the strength to move off, and stand on her own beside him. 

He turned on the shower, rinsing them both off thoroughly. Stepping out of the tub, he reached for one of her huge cotton bath sheets, wrapped her in it, and carried her out of the bathroom to her lush bed. 

He spread her out on top of the pastel colored duvet like the delectable treat she was, using the bath sheet to dry her off, then himself. 

Then she was underneath him again...

*****  
She gasps as he laid between her legs; his eyes locked with hers. “You good?”

“Never been better babe” she smiles sweetly, sighing peacefully, feeling so loved and cared for while looking up at him, caressing his face. 

It was Luca’s intention to inch inside her slowly, bit by bit; to savor and draw out the moment, but when she wraps her legs tightly around his hips and urged him to complete her, his control slips away. 

They both moan with approval as he slid inside her. She was so hot, so wet, so tight. It felt so right.

Her denial is now a thing of the past, she is now free to accept this was what she wanted and needed all along; no-one else but him. 

They were supposed to be together like this, they are meant to be together. He saw the emotion brimming up at him through her eyes. She'd just realized it first, he thought, but he felt it too.

"Zoey," he whispers

"I love you," she whispers back.

"I love you too," he told her, softly stroking the side of her face. “Like a gross amount.”

After everything they’ve been through, it feels like the most natural thing in the world to say it, because it was true. He started to move gently and round two began.

This time their love making is a different type of intense. He has never been happier, he wanted to make her laugh, wanted children ~eventually~, he finally understood what feeling at home meant.

"Luca...” she stared up at him feeling overwhelmed by the general intensity of being with him.

"I love you," he told her again, before kissing her, and continuing his movement. Zoey wraps her legs around him tighter. 

She is overwhelmingly in-love with this boy and no longer denying it and hearing him say the words as well was generating all the best emotions within her. 

Those feelings in combination with their sex makes for a mind blowing experience. Nothing else mattered right now but how amazing it felt to be with him. 

He drove himself into her again, and again, and again; their sweat slicked bodies moving together as one; their tongues dancing together, and their hands all over each other. Neither one of them could get enough.

Soon she was being catapulted towards another earth shattering climax. When she went over the edge, they dove in together; the tightening of her body, taking its toll on any control he has left.

They lay there in each other's arms breathing hard; not speaking but at peace. She was in his arms, and she was done talking for the day. He now understood the true meaning of complete satisfaction.

She was tired, and her lids were getting heavy. Tonight she would allow herself to freely lay in the arms of the man she loves knowing that he loves her back just as hard.


End file.
